The solo adventure of the king of Snipers, and a long awaited reunion
by moonbird
Summary: At a big storm, Usopp is washed over-board. Soon after he finds himself at a new island, but he is not alone on that Island. Some-one Usopp has longed to meet turns up where one would least exspect it. But on the same time, Usopp don't have much time as he must hurry back to the Straw-hats so they don't sail without him.
1. Chapter 1

There was a big storm raging in the new world, and it was threatening to tip the proud ship of the sunny over as that ship was caught right in the centrum of the biggest storm the crew of the straw-hats had encountered... So far this month.

The Sunny was a strong proud ship, but the thing was, that in the new world a storm wasn't just a storm, it could be so much more, wind directions changing within the second, rain-drops as big as buckets of water, hails as big as cannon balls, winds of oceanic strengths, and the waves way taler than their little ship.

"USOPP! YOU HAVE TO TURN THE SAILS TO STARBOARD!" Nami yelled as loud as she could from the deck upwards.

"BUT THAT'S WHERE I JUST MOVED THEM FROM!" Usopp hissed as he crawled around in the mast, where the sails had to be moved manually due to the wind playing the way it did.

"BACK THEN THE WIND CAME FROM ANOTHER SIDE!" Nami exclaimed. "MOVE IT IF YOU DON'T WANT HER TO RIP!"

"Yosh." Usopp hissed. "ZORO! LUFFY! BROOK! YOU HEARD HER! BACK WITH THE SAIL FROM WHERE IT CAME!" A collective groan sounded from his team of sail workers in the mast.

Deep below them, Franky was steering the helm as good as he could, his robotic strength making sure the helm wouldn't just slip away from him.

Sanji was running back and ford, pouring out water with big buckets before they could make any damage to the ship, and so did Chopper, ready to help Franky if he needed it.

Robin was tied to the railing keeping out a watch-full eye, ready to pull any-one onboard with her powers should they fall off, and then in the middle of it all was the person gluing it all together; Nami, constantly measuring the weather, barking out new instructions every second to all of them.

Usopp hissed as he with his team tied up the sails as promised, so much had happened since he left his island so long ago, back then he would probably just have been clinging to the mast screaming in terror over a storm much smaller than this, leaving it up to Merry to take the damage for them, back then they had all lacked a deep knowledge of how to minimize the damages doing a storm.. Also he would have been genuinely terrified.

Two years on a island constantly trying to kill him had taught Usopp that there was a time to be terrified, and a time when being terrified would just be an distraction for what he had to do. And right now, Usopp had to protect his ship in a way he was incapable of back when it was Merry under his protection. "WHAT NOW!?" Usopp asked in a yell.

"NOTHING! IT'S FINE FOR NOW!" Nami yelled up to them.

"Oh great." Usopp mumbled, now having the time to be terrified when there was nothing to do, he dropped down and clinged to the mast beneath him. "We are all going to die aren't we?" he asked, just for a massive hail to fall down only a millimetre away from his left shoulder. "YAAOOH!" Usopp screamed in terror jumping up.

Zoro rolled his eyes. "Some big man of the sea." He mumbled sarcastically.

Usopp turned to look sarcastically at Zoro. "Better man of the sea than you, without me, Nami and Franky you would all be lost on a boat." He pointed out, making Zoro snort. Then Usopp's eyes returned to deck where he searched for the others, before his eyes suddenly widened. "NAMI!" Usopp exclaimed.

"What?" Nami asked looking up.

"NAMI LOOK!" Usopp exclaimed. "ROBIN!" he pointed.

"Huh?" Nami turned around and them screamed, by the sight of Robin whom laid unconscious up against the railing she had been tied to, beside her was one of those huge hails, obvious having hit her unconsious. "ARRGH!" Nami screamed. "ROBIN! ROBIN!" She shook the knocked out archeologist by the shoulders trying to wake her up.

Frantically Usopp's eyes searched the rest of the crew to see if they were all-right.. Franky, Sanji.. Chopper. All-right they were all fine running around down there! But suddenly it happened, and Usopp saw Chopper slip on the wet deck and skit all the way to the reiling.

"Chopper!" Usopp hissed as he saw what happened in front of him, he didn't think, he didn't look ahead, there was times where you had the time to be scared, and times where you just didn't have time to think! Hnd now, Usopp just reacted. He knew that if that little reindeer fell over-board it would be over for the doctor, not only would his tiny body have a difficult time handling the big waves, but he was also a devil fruit user! He would sink instantly!

Immediately Usopp grabbed for a rope and without thinking jumped down from the mast holding nothing but that one rope as he swung down, but it was to late, Chopper had all-ready been thrown overboard and was now high up in mid-air, on the wrong side of the reiling.

Usopp hissed as he let go of his rope and thrust himself after Chopper and grabbed the little reindeer in the air.

"Usopp?" Chopper asked looking up.

But Usopp didn't answer, instead he concentrated all of his strength on throwing Chopper back on the ship, before he himself fell.. and he did, fell down and hit the ice cold waves.

"USOPP!" Chopper screamed changing to heavy point running for the railing looking down. "USOPP!" he exclaimed putting one food over the reiling ready to safe his comrade.

"CHOPPER NO!" Nami exclaimed holding him back. "YOU CAN'T SWIM!"

"BUT USOPP!" Chopper exclaimed. "he he.." the reindeer sniffed as tears fell down his eyes. "He saved me!"

"Damn it! I can't see him!" Sanji hissed also searching the waves with his eyes.

"NAMI!" Luffy yelled from above.

"What!?" Nami yelled looking up.

"THE SAILS!" Luffy exclaimed. "THEY ARE RIPPING AGAIN! WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO!?" he asked.

"LUFFY HOW CAN YOU BE THINKING ABOUT THAT!? USOPP JUST FELL OVER-BOARD!" Nami exclaimed.

"I KNOW, I SAW IT!" Luffy responded. "BUT SUNNY HAS TO BE STABLE OR IT'S ALL OF US FALLING! THERE ARE FOUR DEVIL USERS ON THIS SHIP, SO WHAT DO I DO!?" he asked.

Nami bit together as he hissed. "ALL-RIGHT! YOU GOT TO LISTEN CLOSELY NOW LUFFY!" she demanded, and continued as she had to at this time, they all had to, they couldn't just stop in the middle of a storm. There was a time to panic and a time where none of them could afford to panic, and right in that moment, it was moment where they simply couldn't afford it, no matter how much they all wanted to.


	2. Chapter 2

"Urgh.." Usopp groaned. He was hurting.. a lot.. his head was hurting, his back-side was hurting, his mouth was hurting, his nose was hurting, his head was hurting, his left big toe.. every-thing. But he was alive, that would have to be the important thing. He had to be, dead people didn't feel this much soreness.. or this much annoyance by having sand absolutely every-where!

At last Usopp sat up and began to spat out sand, and even more of it! "Pew!" he hissed trying to get all of the sand of his tounge.

Usopp was on the shore of a bigger island.. and he had no idea which island it was. The moment Usopp had fallen down in the water after he had saved Chopper, he had been caught in a very strong undercurrent, and though he desperately had tried to swim back and reach the surface, so he could get up and re-join his crew right away, the current had pulled him away with a force that was impossible for him to fight against.

At last as he had broken the surface after what felt like half an hour, but was probably only two or three minutes, Usopp had found himself at a surprisingly calm surface.. obviously out-side of the storm. Turning around Usopp managed to see the edges of the storm far away from him, the dark clouds filling the sky, he could even see the thunder coming from over there.. trouble just was, the only island that Usopp could only just see, was in the opposite direction..

Closing his eyes Usopp took a decision, if he swam directly into the storm he could risk dying, if he swam to the island, maybe some-one there would have a boat and he could just meet up with the Straw-hats at their next decision, Citrus island, which shouldn't be that far from where he was.

The decision was made, and Usopp began swimming towards the island..

That island had been reeaaaally far away! It felt like Usopp had been swimming his entire life ones he had at last reached the shore. He could only thank god for how well trained he had kept himself.

His arms were throbbing so bad, and Usopp could definitely tell that he was dehydrated, wouldn't be the first time

"Why?" Usopp had to ask himself as he just laid there on the beach on his back. "I just _had _to go to sea didn't I?" he asked. "I'm going to the grand-line, I'm going to be a brave warrior of the sea." He mocked himself before he at last turned around. "Urgh." He hissed with squinted eyes desperate not to faint or throw any of the precious food that would still be remaining in his stomach from his last meal that seemed a life-time ago around now. And just on demand his stomach rumbled loudly. "Shut up." Usopp mumbled to his own stomach, just as he heard voices just right next to him, two men yelling.

"huh?" Usopp groaned as he turned his head then screamed. "HAYI! MARINES!" he exclaimed in a big yells as a big flock of marines came running straight towards him. "HOW DID THEY FIND ME THAT QUICK!? What do I do, what do I do?" he kept asking himself. "Argh! Of cause! Run!" Usopp exclaimed and jumped to his feet's to run as fast as he could.

Only… jumping up that quick proved itself to be a major flaw as suddenly all the blood rushed from Usopp's head and he fell head-first, right down in the sand ones again, burring his nose in the sand.

"HEY BOY!" a food poked to him making Usopp turned around.

"huh?" Usopp blinked with his eyes.

"Are you a pirate?" The marine whom was stepping on him asked.

"WHAT? No! Of cause not!" Usopp exclaimed. "I was just sun-bathing on this beach! Me a pirate? Ahahaha! Ridicules!" he stated in a big grin.

"Hmpf." The marine frowned as he stepped on Usopp's chest.

"Well I can't recall ever having seen his face on any wanted poster." A brown haired marine standing beside the one whom was stepping on Usopp commented as he scratched his hair. "He certainly isn't any of those we are searching for, if he is a part of their crew he can only at most be a cabin boy. Let him be." The marine shrugged.

Usopp groaned deeply annoyed. Cabin boy? CABIN BOY!? Didn't these stupid marines know whom they were dealing with!? The great sniper king of the straw-hat crew! Enemy of the world organisation! The man whom escaped an inescapable island! Helped freeing the fisher kingdom! Beaten people ranking as high as generals on different islands! And he was… completely unknown. No one know who Usopp was. He groaned deeply annoyed ramming his head into the sand, though as he looked up again the Marines were all-ready walking away having their backs to him. "HEY WHAT'S THE IDEA! COME BACK AND TAKE ME SERIOUSLY!" Usopp exclaimed.

Only for the marine whom had stepped on him to turn around and lower his sun-glasses. "Oh.. so you are a pirate after all, ready to cling up I presume!"

"Argh! No! I'm good!" Usopp exclaimed crawling backwards, making the marines laughed as they walked away and Usopp exhale deeply relieved. Before he raised his head.. wait? The marines were hunting pirates on this island?

Maybe he all-ready had reached the sunnys destination, maybe his comrades were in trouble!

Silently Usopp got up on his legs as he reached for his Kabuto, then get into the forest where he wouldn't be in full view, but he could see the marines and followed them. It didn't take long for the marines to turn into the forest as well, and Usopp continued following until the marines met up with some of their comrades.. and three men obviously tied to a tree.

Slowly, edging by a tree Usopp tried to get a better look at the people tied up, could it be? Hopefully it was! The Straw hats! Usopp grinned as they finally came into view, and then his face faltered.. it was not the straw-hats, but three people Usopp definitely didn't know.

Usopp sighed deeply, he really should have known better, none of his crew mates would have been taken in that easily.

Still though, a fellow pirate in need could become an potential ally, and those marines had dared to call Usopp a cabin boy! CABIN BOY! Usopp had grown out of his delusions of Captain hood, maybe one day he would be a captain, and then it would be for real. But Cabin boy was to much! Those Marines had to learn a lesson.

"Heh." Usopp grinned as he swinged his Kabuto in the air. "Well what a scene." He commented as he stepped out in the light.

Surprised the marines turned around.. 3,4,5,6,7 and 8 Usopp counted. Hah! Easy!

"Who's that?" a marine blinked… the same marine whom had been stepping on Usopp.

"OI YOU ARE NOT TAKING ME SERIOUSLY AGAIN!" Usopp yelled.

"Hey it's the cabin boy!" The other Marine exclaimed.

Usopp hissed. "I am _not _a cabin boy!" he gritted.

The pirates sitting on the ground tied to tree as well blinked at him. "Who is that?" a pirate with a bushy brown beard asked, only for his dark skinned crewmate to shrug. "No idea."

"ARGH!" Usopp hissed throwing up his arms. "I'm known as Sogeking the king of snipers!" he exclaimed.

Every-body just starred blankly at him. "Who?" a pirate asked. Making Usopp's jaw drop, then at last he composed himself.

"All-right then." He grinned spinning his Kabuto. "Be prepared to see some-thing out of the ordinary." He stated in a slight grin. "It's not just any weakling whom can be a part of the straw hat pirates."

That though at ones got the attention from every-one. "THE STRAW HAT PIRATES!?" they all exclaimed.

Only for one single pirate to shrug. "Meh, he is probably lying."

"AM NOT!" Usopp exclaimed. "Argh! Enough of this!" Usopp hissed as he aimed his Kabuto. "POP GREEN!" he exclaimed sending out a seed that immediately planted itself and grew to a tall man eating plant taking down three marines in one go.

The rest of the marines gaped. "What.. what is that thing?" one asked.

Usopp smirked tipping up his hat. "Just one of my many technics." He stated before sending out another bullet. "POOP GREEN!" he exclaimed ones again getting two other marines before he turned around.

"Oh no you don't." the marine now in front of him hissed. "You wont get away with that trick again."

Usopp smirked. "Well, good thing I have more tricks up my sleeve." He stated. "Explosion star!" he exclaimed firing three explosive bullets at ones. "Stone!" he very simply fired a stone at a marine, hiding him straight in the face so the marine was knocked out cold. "And for you." Usopp grinned at the last marine.. the bastard whom had been stepping on him. "Say that I am the great sniper king, Sogeking." He demanded.

"Why should I?" The Marine asked in a snort as he crossed his arms.

"Cause if you don't, you will regret it dearly." Usopp stated aming his kabuto at the marine. "Your comrades wont want to be around you, you would be ashamed unlike how you have ever be ashamed before." He grinned. "So be wise and just SAY IT!" Usopp demanded. "SAAAYY IT!" he yelled as if he was a big maniac.

"Never!" The marine hissed.

"Fine." Usopp snorted. "ROTTEN EGG!" he exclaimed sending an egg right into the marines face.

"ARGH! MY EYES!" The marine hissed falling to his knees. "Get it off!"

"EWW Tendo-Sama, you stink, get away from me!" A marine hopelessly caught in a huge fly trap.

"As I said." Usopp grinned. "No one wants to be around you." He laughed swinging his kabuto in the air and then stuffed it in his bag before he turned to the pirates whom looked wide-eyed at him. "So I guess I should help you out." He commented.

"If you would be so kind." The dark skinned pirate snorted.

"First things first." Usopp grunted. "You ought to have a ship around here, isn't that right?" he asked.

The pirates all nodded.

"All-right, promise me to get me some food and give me a row-boat, then I'll free you." Usopp demanded.

"BAKA!" The man with the bushy beard exclaimed. "Why would we!? We can just free ourselves!"

"Fine then, I wont help you." Usopp shrugged as he turned around and walked away.

"WAAAIT!" The pirates exclaimed.

"All-right, you win." The bushy bearded pirate hissed. "Now free us!"

"All-right then." Usopp sighed as he sat down on his knee and found a knife to free the pirates from their rope.

The third pirate sitting there hadn't said a word so far, he was just starring very sullen at Usopp, it was a man with a tanned skin tone, blond dreadlocks and right now, a pretty big front on his face.

Right as Usopp had freed them, that man raised his pistol and pointed it right at Usopp.

"HEY!?" Usopp exclaimed. "What are you!?" he wailed with the gun right in his face, as a voice sounded right behind him.

"YOU ARE GOING TO PAY!"

Frigthened Usopp turned around to face the marine whom had stepped on him.

"I am NOT going to be defeated by a damn rotten egg!" The marine hissed. "I would never be able to life down the shame!" He exclaimed pointing a gun right at Usopp, and then a big gun sound sounded.

Wide-eyed Usopp looked at the Marine in front of him, the Marine looked back at Usopp, then at his hand which had priory held the gun.. he had been disarmed, slowly Usopp turned his head to see pirate with the dreadlocks he had just freed, his gun was smoking.

"Don't mind me saying boy, but you're an idiot." The pirate stated as he blew the smoke of his gun. "_Never _turn your back on the enemy."

"Hmpf." Usopp snorted crossing his arms. "I'm not an idiot, at least it was not me getting captured by such weak marines."

"No, you would just have been killed by them." The dreadlock pirate stated.

"No I wouldn't!" Usopp exclaimed. "I would have dealt with him, I've come out of situations much tighter than that!"

The dreadlock pirate snorted as he lifted his gun and shot again without even looking.. and behind himself Usopp felt the ground shaking as a man fell to the ground, probably the marine. "Then you must be the luckiest person alive to make it this far, cause you are obviously to dumb to make it without luck."

Usopp gaped at the pirate. "Lucky? LUCKY!?" he exclaimed. "I've had to fight myself through fishermen, marine admirals, crazy scientist, delusional pirates, devil fruit users and sea monsters to get where I am! How is _any_ of that LUCK!" he exclaimed.

"Must be lucky, with a fashion sense like that and still conscious banana pants." The dreadlock pirate snorted as he stood up, makings Usopp's jaw drop to the ground.

"Are you two really still bickering?" The bushy bearded pirate asked from where he stood far away from Usopp and the dreadlock pirate. "Get a move on all-ready." He snorted.

"Hmpf!" Both the dreadlock pirate and Usopp sniffed simultaneously, only to stare at each other with equal resentful gazes. "HEY QUIT IT!" they both yelled at each other, and then each turned around and away from the other crossing their arms.

That was until the dreadlock pirate saw what there was right in front of him and he widened his eyes. "BOY! GET DOWN!" He exclaimed grapping Usopp's shoulder throwing both of them into a bush.

"Hey what's!? OHHH!" Usopp exclaimed as saw what it was.. the eight marines he had defeated weren't alone, their friends had come.. and they had a big cannon with them which would have hit them had the dreadlock pirate not pushed Usopp away, right in front of them was a big smoking crater, and then there was two dusin of marines in front of them.. including what looked like their captain.

The dreadlock pirate rolled his eyes. "So what do we do now, oh great Sogeking?" he snorted in a very mocking voice.

Usopp sneered as he crossed his arms, then grinned lightly. "Well as it happens, I _do _have a way out of this, an excellent way." He told.

"Oh?" The dreadlock pirate asked.

"Yeah!" Usopp exclaimed as he loaded his Kabuto and aimed, before yelling. "SMOKE SCREEN!" letting a big smoke screen cover the entire area. "AND NOW RUUUUUN!" Usopp exclaimed turning around to spurt away.

"HEY WAIT A MINUTE!" the dreadlock pirate exclaiming barely keeping up with Usopp, though as he did. "Really!? Running? Brilliant sogeking."

"HEY!" Usopp exclaimed. "You know nothing about me! You have no right to judge me."

"All I see is a boy trying to be a man out in the big ocean." The dreadlock pirate snorted.

"WHAT!?" Usopp exclaimed. "Are you _blind!? _I'm a man, not a kid. _So stop calling me BOY!" _

"Well, if you really are oh so mature, stop acting like a bloody brat, boy." the dreadlock pirate snorted.

"YOU JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND ME!" Usopp wailed with tears almost coming out of his eyes, making the dread-lock pirate roll his eyes.

"Of all people I would _had _to be stuck with the brat." The dreadlock pirate mumbled annoyed.

"Of all people I had to be stuck with an old fart." Usopp responded in an equally annoyed hiss.

"HEY!" the dreadlock pirate exclaimed. "Respect your elders boy!" he demanded.

"You _still _don't understand me!" Usopp returned, only for both of them to stop.

"SHIT!" The dreadlock pirate exclaimed. "YOU IDIOT! We have been running in a circle!" He exclaimed by the sight of a bunch of marines still coughing due to the smoke screen.

Usopp how-ever didn't look shocked at all as he smirked. "I know." He told.

"What! Then what the hell!? Just how big an idiot are you!?" Dreadlock pirate asked.

Usopp better knowlingly shook his head acting cool. "Keeping marines distracted for a little while is nice, keeping them distracted for longer is even better." He told as he grabbed Dreadlock pirates shoulder and dragged him backwards.

"What are you?" Dreadlock pirate asked.

Usopp merely grinned, as suddenly, in a wink of an eye a big wall of plants grew in a circle around the marines whom all looked surprised at it, entangled in the world were several of those nasty fly traps, trying to bite at the marines.

Dreadlock pirate gaped at it with big wide eyes, starring at the wall Usopp had just created.

"Heh." Usopp grinned. "I was dropping my seeds as we ran our little circle." He told. "It is going to take a good while for those marines to get out, my wines are strong as metal, and my flytraps quite nasty."

"What are you? A devil fruit user?" The dreadlock pirate asked turning wide-eyed to Usopp.

"Nope, don't need any bloody devil fruit to be strong." Usopp grinned. "I all-ready told you who I am, I am the sniper of the straw-hat pirates. People out in the world knows me as Sogeking, the sniper king! And you are?" he asked in almost a bored tone.

The dreadlock pirate coughed in his hand and composed himself to strike what he hoped was an impressive pose. "Straw hat pirates ei?" he asked. "Hah! I can beat that, I'm of Shanks the reds crew, and sniper king my ass boy. That would be me! _I _am the sniper king of the world, sniper of Shanks crew, and I don't need a damn secret identity, Yasopp is the name!" he grinned pointing at himself.

First Usopp didn't get at all what the pirate had just said, he just looked at the pirate with squinted eyes, then he put his head askew, then he frowned as his forehead wrinkled, then he looked at the dreadlock pirate again as he tried to go over what the pirate had said what felt so strange, he was just about to shrug and turn around as his eyes suddenly widened. "WHAAAAAT!?" Usopp exclaimed with both his arms in the air.

"Yeah you heard right, sniper of the great shanks." Yasopp smirked. "Who's sniper king now?" he asked in a grin pointing at himself. "Boy." He added in a smirkl

Usopp just starred wide-eyed at him. "You… you… you.." he tried to say as he pointed at the older man.

"Huh?" Yasopp asked.

And then suddenly Usopp felt it, it had all been to much, his long swim through the strong currents, his lack of substance for at least twenty hours, his sudden fight with the marines, his little run and now this shock. Combine all of that it was to much.. Usopp felt himself slipping away as the world turned into a blur in front of him.

"BOY!" Yasopp exclaimed grapping Usopp as he sunk to his knees. "Oh no don't faint on me now! _Real pirates don't faint!" _he exclaimed. "I SAID DON'T FAINT! I AINT GONNA TO CARRY YA!"

Well.. apparently this pirate could faint, Usopp noted as he was slipping away.. he just needed a bit to eat and he would be right as rain.. but for now. He almost welcomed the darkness as it gave him the time to comprehend. And then he was gone.

* * *

_AN; well people, I hope you like my more... original re-union of these two. Going more for the comedic angle than the soppy angle.. But it isn't all bad, the two of them are all-ready acting like father and son! isn't it great? I had a lot of fun writing this, laughing at my own stupid jokes. Poor Usopp, he never catches a break in any-thing XD _


	3. Chapter 3

Slowly Usopp gained conscious, he was laying up against some-thing.. slowly Usopp opened his eyes and saw a fire burning in front of him. It had become night-time on the island as the fire was the only thing lightening up inside of the forest, Usopp squinted his eyes as he tried to gain a little more clearance.

A man was bowing over the fire, poking to it with a stick. He was middle aged, around Usopp's own height and build, had tanned skin, fish lips and blond dreadlocks.. who?

Then suddenly Usopp's memories were all returned and every-thing became clear as Usopp starred at the man. Even had to admit, that man looked an awful lot like him. They had the same skin tone, the same head-shape, eyes, mouth. Usopp could only guess what the mans hair would look like naturally, but judging from his darker skin tone and his eye-brows, he was probably naturally black haired.

Could this really be? Was that even possible? Was Usopp looking at his own father in the flesh? Suddenly Usopp's stomach started complaining loudly making Usopp his at it and Yasopp turn his head.

"Oh so you are awake boy." Yasopp noted.

"I told you, I'm an adult, so please stop calling me that." Usopp mumbled annoyed covering his stomach with his arms as to try and hide his own gnarling hunger.

"Pff, does adults need looking after?" Yasopp asked as he rolled his eyes.

"Pff, I Havn't needed to be looked after since I was seven." Usopp returned both mocking Yasopp's tone and making the sentence even more dry than Yasopp's, as he leaned back against the tree looking around. "Does this island have any eats?" he tried to ask as casually as possible.

Yasopp rolled his eye. "If I hadn't you to drag I would have been home on my ship having a feast." He snorted "Take a biscuit if you are that desperate." He muttered throwing a biscuit at Usopp, whom grabbed it in midair.

Any-one whom whom had sailed on the sea for just a little bit knew that the sea biscuit was just the worst! You always had them onboard because they would be eatable for an infinite amount of time, and if all other food had become spoiled or rotten, at least the crew wouldn't have to starve as long as there were biscuits.. the biscuits that tasted of absolutely nothing, were so hard that teethes had been known to fall out when people tried to bite in them, and had a tendency to stick in the throat thus being impossible to swallow.

But Usopp didn't care about that at all, he was incredible hungry and without a second thought he started to lick the biscuit trying to soften it a little bit before he started to bite in it.

Yasopp lifted an eye. "You must be hungry boy."

Usopp hissed as he was called a _boy_ again and glared at Yasopp. "Of cause I am, I was swimming to this island, and it took me all day! Without any food or water!"

"Swimming?" Yasopp asked. "Why would you do that? you can't be _that _stupid."

Usopp rolled his eyes as he nippled on his biscuit. "I was thrown over-board doing a storm." He mumbled.

Only to make Yasopp laugh loudly as he held his stomach and fell back. "Thrown over-board!?" he asked in a laugh. "What kind of a sea-man gets thrown over-board!? You must be the lousiest pirate out there!"

Usopp hissed as he stood up glaring at Yasopp. "_It wouldn't have happened if I hadn't had to safe my nakamas life!" _He exclaimed angrily, then sat down with crossed arms and a pout. "our doctor whom is a devil fruit user was falling over-board, so I had to safe him and as a result ended up in the sea instead of him." He told in a roll of his eyes. "Now I just need to find a way to get to citrus island fast as possible." He mumbled.

"Citrus island?" Yasopp asked.

"That's where we were setting course for." Usopp exclaimed. "They should have arrived there all-ready today, I just have to get there before they leave again!"

"So you keep insising that you are a real pirate huh?" Yasopp asked amused laying down on his side resting his head on his hand looking at Usopp.

"_I am a real pirate!" _Usopp hissed.

"And insiting being a part of the strawhats as well, nothing less could do it huh?" Yasopp asked making Usopp hiss again. Yasopp sighed as he rolled to his back looking up in the sky. "You know, we under shanks have been following up on that crew as good as we could. I guess we always felt a weird sort of connection to them. Did you know that we all met the captain, Luffy, back when he was nothing but a little sqirt?"

"Yeah.. I know." Usopp told in a deep exhale. "Luffy loves telling about it, he even calls the hat Shanks gave him his most precious treasure."

"Does he now?" Yasopp asked in a yawn. "So you're supposed to be what is behind the mask of the sogeking." He muttered. "How disappointing, but I guess the imagination will never be able to life up to reality."

Usopp pouted deeply annoyed. "Of cause I am sogeking, isn't it obvious? Who else has such a nose?" he asked tapping at his own nose.

"Pff, a long nose is not that unique." Yasopp stated in a shrug. "I've known plenty of people with bigger, longer and prettier noses than you." He told.

"Oh yeah, like your wife perhaps?" Usopp asked grimly… and then immediately regretted it.. it had just come out.

Yasopp as well blinked stunned and looked at Usopp. "What?" he asked.

"AERH.. Nothing! Nothing!" Usopp exclaimed waving his arms in front of him. "It was nothing! Just a dumb saying. Hahaha! Like a wife, we joke like that all of the time among us straw hats!" he exclaimed.

"That's a weird joke." Yasopp mumbled. "don't ever use it on me again." He mumbled in a way so it sounded like an order and then turned around his face away from Usopp.

Usopp sighed deeply as he looked at the man with his back to him, what was wrong with him today? Maybe it all was just a dream, but even so this was his chance to… to finally try and talk to his father at last. Why then did he feel so little? Usopp was sure that if this had been two years ago he would have been static, showering a confused Yasopp with questions all-ready.

But some-how things were different now.. Usopp were different, he realised as he leaned back against his tree finishing his biscuit and licked his fingers.

Two years ago, Usopp had been a boy, a hopeless teen just wanting to one day become a man and meet his father. But now Usopp was a man, and he didn't need to meet his father that bad at all. He had a new family, a family more real to him than his father had ever been. His family whom had lectured him when he did mistakes, praised him when he did things right, fought with him, laughed with him, he had worked with them and learned so much from them. No.. Usopp in reality didn't even need this so much any-longer, he had out-grown his own dream. He was a young man now.

Still though, this was a rather unique opportunity and Usopp would hate himself forever if he didn't at least try, and so Usopp sighed deeply. "Thanks for helping me out." He at last muttered silently.

"Well." Yasopp snorted not turning around so his face was away from Usopp. "We spend a little time together so I feel responsible for you boy." He shrugged. "Remember to drink some water." He mumbled throwing a bottle back at Usopp whom grabbed it in a blink. "And get some sleep boy, we are going to my ship as soon as the sun is up, and I aint carrying you, so get some sleep and be well rested for tomorrow." He demanded.

"-mm, not a boy." Usopp managed to mutter annoyed between gulps of water that he was drinking.

"Sure you aren't." Yasopp smirked rolling around. "What's that tiny thing on your chin? I bet you can't even grow a real beard." He smirked.

"What!?" Usopp gaped. "I can totally grow I beard, this is just a fashion-statement! A manly fashion statement! It's manly!" he defended.

"And I suppose that's what the pony-tail is for as well, looking manly." Yasopp commented in a lifted eye-brow.

"Hmpf." Usopp crossed his arms as he snorted. "Well at least I am not the one bleaching my hair! What's that about!?" he asked.

Yasopp squinted his eyes at Usopp in a challenging manner, then suddenly his mouth broke into a smile as he laughed, genuinely laughed. "Good come-back." He admitted in a laugh.

And the tip of Usopp's mouth just wouldn't stay down either as Yasopp laughed, and he as well ended up snickering, then laughed, laughed together with Yasopp.

"Ah hell, I can't put my finger on it, but you remind me of some-one boy." Yasopp commented as he laid back on his back, using his arms as a pillow of his head. "Just can't but my finger on it right now." He mumbled.

"Not a boy." Usopp mumbled laying down himself on his stomach, resting his head in his arms.

"pff, when you reach my age, all you young adventures seems like kids." Yasopp mumbled. "Beside I refuse to call you _Sogeking_, it's me whom is the king of snipers, you got that?" he asked. "Don't you have a name boy?" he asked.

"Of cause I do." Usopp murmered in a comfortable blur, half-way back to sleep. "If any-thing, Sogeking was more of an accident than any-thing else. It wont be long now, and people will know of my real name. Just you wait and see." He mumbled.

Yasopp rolled his eyes. "Kids, so filled with big idea." He mumbled rolling over so his face was away from Usopp's again.

"Captain Usopp." Usopp mumbled half in his sleep, but so silently and so blurred that no one heard him at all, and especially not Yasopp whom laid face away to Usopp, yawning deeply that very moment as he tried to get some sleep himself.

* * *

_"THE PIRATES ARE COMING, THE PIRATES ARE COMING!" _ _Usopp yelled as he ran through time. He was just seven years old, a lanky, almost down-right scrawny young boy. _

_People around the village were all rolling their eyes at him as Usopp ran through town. _

_"MOOOM!" Usopp yelled. "The pirates are coming! DAD IS COMING!" he laughed as he reached his own little house and opened the door wide in one swing. _

_Only to be faced with a dusty house that was completely empty and silent.. oh yeah.. that was right. Mom died, Usopp was alone. _

_Usopp sank down on his scrawny legs as he looked at the small empty house. "But.. dad was supposed to come." He muttered. "And then every-thing would be great." He muttered burring his head in his knees. "Mom.. one day I'll go to sea and become a real man, just like dad. And I will find him, and then the pirates will be coming back to Syrup village." He whispered. _

_"YUHUUUU!" a loud laugh sounded beside Usopp. "Don't wait up for it, COME ON! LETS GO!" _

_Usopp turned around, and saw a young boy with black hair, a red vest and a straw-hat on top of his head as he smiled widely. "Didn't you hear me Usopp, LETS GO!" Luffy laughed in a big grin. _

_Usopp looked up at the young pirate captain whom sported that big dumb grin of his, Luffy's smile was just so infectious that it was impossible not to be affected by it, and as Usopp reached for Luffys welcoming hand, that was real and was there. Luffy grinned and pulled Usopp up on his legs. _

_Up where Usopp stood on the deck of the sunny, with the wind in his hair, his kabuto by his side, and a grin on his face as he stood proud on the deck of the sunny. _

_Chopper was laughing as he jumped Usopp and now held on to the young mans shoulder, Franky as well gave Usopps other shoulder a friendly dash as Brook laughed, Sanji rolled his eyes, Zoro snored away, Robin very simply gave a little smile, Nami looked amused. And then there was the captain, Luffy, whom wrapped an arm around Usopp's shoulder and Usopp returned the favour, wrapping a arm around Luffy's shoulder. _

_Then they all looked at each other and smirked, before they all faced forward towards their next destination, and all of them yelled together as loudly as they all possible could. "THE PIRATES ARE COOOOMIIIIIIING!" _


	4. Chapter 4

"HEY GIVE ME THAT!" Usopp exclaimed almost tackling Yasopp.

The two had risen early to get back to Yasopp's crew, and first now had Usopp noticed that Yasopp had taken his kabuto. And now he was all over Yasopp reaching for his weapon.

"In a moment I just wanted to have a closer look." Yasopp snorted.

"_You don't take another mans weapon!" _Usopp exclaimed hitting Yasopp up the head.

"What's this boy?" Yasopp snorted. "Is that a way to treat your rescuer?" he asked.

"Who ever said I needed rescuing!?" Usopp exclaimed.

"Oh riiiiight, the great sniper king. How could I have forgotten." Yasopp snorted as he rolled his eyes. "That's cute boy." He smirked.

"All-right that's it! Stop treating me like a little child!" Usopp hissed and charged for the older man, and soon both of them was in a big brawl, falling down the hill in front of them, both hissing and kicking each other.

That was until Yasopp at last won by having caught Usopp in a full arm lock. "You are strong and well trained I give you that." Yasopp smirked. "But you are still at a point of starvation, what-ever lesson you are trying to teach me right now boy, you better give it up."

Usopp hissed as he laid with his nose buried in the ground. "Mmmdfjldk." He managed to say.

"What?" Yasopp asked in a satisfied grin.

"I SAID GET OFF ME!" Usopp exclaimed raising his head.

"Oh, I thought you were enjoying a bit of dirt for breakfast." Yasopp at last smirked as Usopp stood up and brushed himself free of dirt. "Here!" Yasopp exclaimed throwing Usopp's kabuto back to him. "Be more careful with your precious weapon, any-one could just be sneaking up on you taking it."

"Yeah, but it would be absolutely useless in any-ones hand but mine." Usopp snorted. "It's a very unique designed for me and me alone." He told proudly.

"So it's one of the kind huh?" Yasopp noted in a frown. "Then what would happen if some-one.. BROKE IT!" and by that he snatched Usopp's kabuto away from him again.

"NO NO! DON'T BREAK IT!" Usopp exclaimed as Yasopp held it. "I swear if you break it, I will make you pay!" Usopp hissed.

"But how would you do that without your only weapon?" Yasopp asked with a lifted eye-brow as he span the Kabuto.

"BAKA! I got other weapons!" Usopp hissed. "For that matter I can use _any _sniper weapon invented, you really think a gun like yours would confuse the snot out of me?" he asked.

"Then why this over-grown slingshot?" Yasopp asked casually.

"Because it's _my_ weapon!" Usopp exclaimed as he stomped in the ground. "I designed it and build it with my own hands! To fit my fighting style, my ammunation! I designed it to have so many other uses than just dull bullets." He hissed.

"You designed and build it?" Yasopp asked, an unwillingly tone of being impressed entering his voice as he looked at the kabuto a new. "Well then you can't be such a big idiot after-all." Yasopp noted as he tryingly pulled in the string, but had to stop before long as Yasopp lacked the arm strength and training to pull it as long back as Usopp usually did. Surprised Yasopp blinked at the object. "Good craftsman's ship." He noted turning it in his hand. "And obviously she has been used a lot, but has been taken good care of." Yasopp commented brushing a dent in the handle. "Resourceful." He commented reaching the Kabuto back to Usopp. "But I sincerely doubt it has a great a range as a gun." He commented dryly.

"HAH, that's what you think." Usopp smirked.

"All-right then." Yasopp shrugged as he pulled his own gun. "You see the banana palm over there?" he asked pointing to his left.

Usopp pulled up his goggles as he squinted his eyes. "Hai, that's certainly far away." He had to admit as the tree was barely visible in front of him.

"Be prepared to get some bananas for breakfast." Yasopp grinned as he fired his gun, where-after a big chunk of bananas fell down from the palm, the Yasopp blew the smoke off, swung it around and settled it as he grinned.

Usopp how-ever had all-ready loaded his Kabuto as he was aiming the same direction, strechted it out to its absolute limit, and then fired.

Yasopp squinted his eyes at the tree. "You missed." He commented.

Usopp shrugged. "We shall see." He smiled.

Together they walked towards the banana palm, and Yasopp smiled by the cluster of Bananas, which had obviously been shoot down as you could see from the burning wine. "So where's your bullet boy?" Yasopp asked in a smirk.

Usopp grinned as he used the long end of his kabuto, to split the tall grass in front of them, to reveal a large tiger laying there having been knocked unconscious by the stone still planted in its forehead, right between the big tigers eyes.

"WAARGH!" Yasopp exclaimed in a very Usopp like manner, standing on one leg having both arms raised. "I didn't even see that tiger! How could you see it!?" he asked Usopp.

"Tch." Usopp grinned resting the Kabuto on his shoulder. "I spend two years on a island populated by creatures much bigger than that, always wanting to eat me, I had to stay alert every second of the day and find other tactics to notice the beasts before they noticed me. I've learned." He grinned crossing his arms.

"Sounds like a lie to me." Yasopp commented.

"IT'S NOT A LIE!" Usopp exclaimed. "geesh, I really have changed over time." He muttered ruffling his hair. "It used to be genuine lies I could make people believe, and now people wont believe the truth I am telling them." He mumbled. "I reaaally have lost my edge." He muttered picking up a banana to peel it and take a well-deserved bite.

"That's how it is spending that long a time being a pirate at the grand-line and the new world boy." Yasopp sighed as he sat down on a tree-stump taking a banana himself. "The things you see are so incredible that it's hard to believe, you just have to see it for yourself." He grinned. "It's the most amazing wonders out there, and there is always more to discover, more to explore. How is it even possible to be settled with any-thing else after that?" Yasopp asked as he leaned back.

"Is that why you left your home and family?" Usopp asked.

Yasopp blinked. "What?" he asked looking astounded at Usopp.

"You did leave your family didn't you?" Usopp asked.

Yasopp starred at usopp for a while as he blinked, then turned his eyes away. "I don't see how that is any of your buisness boy." He muttered.

"So you don't have a family you left behind?" Usopp asked.

"I did _not _mean to just leave. I fully intended to come back shortly." Yasopp snorted, then silenced surprised. Clearly he had not been meaning to say that, and Usopp looked questionable at him. "All-right, all-right." Yasopp hissed. "I have a wife and a son, there! Happy?" he asked.

Usopp merely looked at him, with wondering eyes as he silently asked the next question. "Why didn't you come back shortly as you intended?" he asked. "Why are you still out here? It's an awful long way from the eastern blue." Usopp pointed out.

"Well you are a pirate aren't you, you know how it is!" Yasopp muttered. "Always a new adventure starting, and suddenly the time just goes by and you have no idea where it went to!" he hissed. "What does it matter to you any-way? Quit poking around boy! Wait…" Yasopp stopped as he blinked. "How on earth did you know my family are supposed to be at the eastern blue?" he asked as he squinted his eyes at Usopp. "_answer me boy!" _he demanded in a threatening tone. "And if you are a spying marine you better start praying now!"

Usopp sighed as he leaned back against the tree reaching for a second banana. "Well I guess fair is fair old man." He muttered peeling his banana, yet averting his eyes from the pirate. "I wasn't lying to you, I really am a pirate, and a part of the straw-hat crew. I was one of their very first members almost three years ago." Usopp explained. "They picked me up back at the eastern blue where I was living on a tiny island and erh…" Usopp swallowed. "That island was syrup island, it's my home island." Usopp told daring to glance up at Yasopp whom was still looking intensely at him. "Of cause my name isn't 'sogeking' I made that up a long time ago, and I just Havn't been able to shake that figure ever since, my actual name though is Usopp."

And that made Yasopp's eyes widen. "What?" he asked.

Usopp sighed deeply. "I'm Usopp." He told. "And I was lead to believe that you were… erh.. are.." he swallowed. "My father." He finally confessed.

Yasopp was dumbstruck, he just starred at Usopp.. for a very long time the two just sat there, in complete and utter silence.

"Please say some-thing." Usopp then at last asked, he was almost ready to beg.

Yasopp shook his head as he blinked, then looked to his left. "Well then, come on boy. My ship shouldn't be long from here." He told and then just stood up and started walking away.

Usopp blinked as he saw Yasopp starting to make his way away from their spot. "Hai.." Usopp then mumbled silently. He didn't even know what he had expected. That probably was quite a bomb to drop like that, but what else could he have done? And silently with his head bowed, Usopp followed Yasopp, to hopefully soon meet the rest of shanks the reds crew.


	5. Chapter 5

"DIDN'T YOU HEAR ME! I NEED TO GET TO CITRUS ISLAND FAST AS POSSIBLE!"

"AND I SAY REST! THAT'S AN ORDER!"

From above, beside the railing, Yasopp observed the strange kid he had picked up having an argument with their doctor. The kid wanted to go at ones, rowing to citrus island if he had to. And the Doctor had called him out on both being starved and fatigued beyond reason, demanding the long-nosed kid to rest and eat before he did any-thing.

"Hey isn't that the slingshot kid that rescued us?" Dennis asked. Dennis whom was a dark skinned tall man with black hair, and one of the people Yasopp had been tied up with.

"Yeah." Yasopp mumbled. "It's him all-right."

"Odd looking fellor isn't he?" Dennis asked.

"Yeah." Yasopp exhaled deeply resting his arms on the railing in front of him, looking down at the kid whom had obviously lost the battle as he was simply denied his row-boat for now, and sourly he sat down beside the mast with crossed arms looking angrily at the doctor, as if every-thing was his fault.

"But he got balls! Have to give him that!" Dennis laughed. "I kind of like him." He grinned.

Yasopp how-ever, didn't look the least bit amused as he looked at the kid.

"Hey, what's the matter Yasopp?" Dennis asked with a lifted eye-brow.

"Nothing, it's just." Yasopp sighed leaning his head on his hand. "It's complicated." He at last told.

"You sound like a woman." Dennis snorted. "Keep me out of that one."

"Now now Dennis, don't tease." Both pirates turned around and was met by a lean red-haired man whom had just exited his quarters.

"Good morning Shanks." Yasopp shrugged turning around, back to the kid as if this wasn't any-thing special. "Or is it just good-day at this time?" he asked.

"Glad you made it back, that makes a full crew." Shanks noted in a little smile. "But who's the kid?" he asked looking down at Usopp whom sat by the mast, looking as annoyed as ever.

"He's the kid I told about last evening." Dennis told. "The kid with the weird sling-shot, he wanted a rowboat in exchange for freeing us so he could go back to his own crew, he claims he is a straw-hat."

"Is that so?" Shanks asked his eyes shifting to Usopp. "Well then I supposed with better give him a boat."

"The doctor says that it's probably better to wait a couple of days." Yasopp pointed out. "The boy swam all the way out here from halfway to citrus island, he's exhausted in spite of how he acts." He told just as Usopp hissed at one of the older pirates whom had apparently said some-thing to him.

"What's that Yasopp, you're usual not this sentimental." Dennis commented. "Are you growing old?" he asked teasingly.

Yasopp snorted. "Wouldn't you love that?" he asked

Shanks how-ever shrugged. "If he wants to go now to meet up with his crew, I don't see how I am in any position to stop him. He seems determined enough to make it."

Yasopp blinked, and then turned his head towards the captain. "What?" he asked.

"I said he seems like a young man able to make his own decisions, I don't see why I shouldn't just give him the boat." Shanks stated. "I will call it a little favour to the straw hats." He smirked.

"Please Captain, why hurry. Can't we wait a few days?" Yasopp asked.

Shanks lifted an eye-brow as Dennis starred gobsmacked at Yasopp. "Now you don't sound yourself at all." Shanks told Yasopp.

"Regardless, can't you wait, as a favour to me?" Yasopp asked.

"Why?" Shanks asked.

"Erh.." Yasopp halted.

"Yasopp, if you don't give me a good reason right now, I am going to go down to the boy, talk to him myself, and probably give him that boat. He'll be off my ship within the hour." Shanks told. "Unless you tell me a good reason right now why I shouldn't." The captain demanded.

Yasopp exhaled deeply as he lowered his gaze. "That boy not only claims to be a straw-hat pirate." He told sighing deeply. "He also claims to be Usopp, he claims to be my son." He told looking up at Shanks again. "of cause I have no way of knowing wether it's true or not." He told. "He just popped out of no-where. No other crew members around. He claims he swam to shore, but as far as we know, he could be a marine in disguise, we all-ready know there are marines around on this island."

Both Shanks and Dennis were starring at Yasopp at that point.

"_He claims to be your son!?_" Dennis exclaimed. "That son from syrup island you just wont shut up about when-ever you had a bit to much to drink!?" he asked.

"As far as I know I don't have any other sons around." Yasopp snorted. "Why don't you go down and take a closer look at him, then you can tell me what you think!" he hissed.

"I think I will." Dennis stated as he wide-eyed looked down at Usopp, then moved away from Yasopp and Shanks to have a closer look.

"Hmm." Shanks mumbled looking at Usopp. "What a coincidence." He noted. "So we meet the praised son at last. If he really is your son."

"I don't know." Yasopp muttered looking down at Usopp, whom now was looking around in that saddle he had constantly been carrying out. To finally take up what looked like a sketch book and a pencil, and then he simply started to scribble in it.

"Could he really be my son?" Yasopp asked his captain. "Is it really possible?" he asked. "Or is he making it up?"

"How should I know?" Shanks asked. "Okay if you want my honest opinion just looking at him." He frowned crossing his arms looking down on the young man scribbling away in his note book. "Well Yasopp, he is the picture of you, a pretty good look alike. He even has the same hair as you would have if you didn't bleach it and made it into dreadlocks like that. I distinctly remember you having black curls when we first met." Shanks observed as he stroke the bit of beard he had on his chin. "If he really is a froth, he is a damn good one. Damn he looks a lot like you when we first met, it's almost scary. Except that nose, I don't know how on earth he ended up with that thing."

"It's exactly like Banchinas." Yasopp exhaled.

"Hm?" Shanks asked as he lifted an eye-brow looking at Yasopp whom sighed.

"My.. wife." Yasopp at last admitted as he swallowed. "And my sons mother, god that kid looks so much like her." he commented as he hopelessly leaned on the railings looking at the young man whom sat with crossed legs leaning up against the mast while he scribbled away. "If this is a hocks, it's a god damn good one." he had to admit.

"Well, do what you want." Shanks shrugged as he turned around. "No matter what, that kid will soon be on his way again, you can see it in his eyes, he is determined to meet up with his crew fast as possible, no matter what. If he is your son or not your son, how should I know that? I'll give you till tomorrow before I hand him his boat." Was his final words as he turned around and entered his quarters ones again.

"Urgh." Yasopp muttered as he almost fell over laying up against the railing looking at Usopp. What was he supposed to do now!? He knew the Captain had been very lenient, and he shouldn't waste his captain's generosity by not taking his chance. But to go down there and talk with that boy again!?

Yasopp stood up and bit together as he took a deep breath in and out through his teethes. He _had _to do it! Just like ripping off a bandage, he better do it quick. He _had _to go and damn talk to the damn kid and get it damn over with!

With those thoughts in the front of his mind, Yasopp went ahead, down the stairs, he took the steps towards the boy.. and only to quickly stood in front of the boy whom didn't even look up at him. But just kept on scribbling in that damn sketch book as if the thing he was working on was more important than Yasopp, whom snorted as he placed his hands on his hips.

"What are you doing boy?" Yasopp at last asked in an impatient tone as he stood like that.

Usopp shrugged. "Not much, just sketching." he mumbled, not reacting the least bit to Yasopps surprisingly harsh tone.

"You mean drawing?" Yasopp asked with a lifted eye-brow. "A pirate who draws?" he asked a little amused. "Sounds girly."

"Hey! My mother taught me that." Usopp hissed looking annoyed up at Yasopp. "You know, Banchina, your wife." he commented dryly.

Yasopp blinked, then sighed as he looked out at the ocean. "How is she?" he at last asked. "She must be lonely by herself back at Syrup… but then I suppose you can't keep men of the sea away from adventure for long." he added in a tryingly teasing smile, but that was wiped away rather quickly, because Usopp didn't look the least bit amused nor appreciative by the comment, merely sat with his sketch book drawing while frowning sourly. "Hey what do you want me to do?" Yasopp asked annoyed with raised arms. "I am really trying to open conversation with you, so what the hell?" he asked.

"It makes no difference to mother whether I stayed at Syrup or not." Usopp at last muttered not looking up.

Yasopp frowned. "Did you have a fall-out?" he asked.

"No." Usopp replied. "She loved me a lot."

"Then what is it?" Yasopp asked more annoyed by the second. "I am running out of patience boy."

Usopp shrugged not the least bit touched by Yasopps annoyance. "Well, she died." he told shortly, still not looking up.

Yasopp's eyes widened as his mouth dropped open. "What?" he asked as if the words hadn't exactly sunk in.

"Don't worry it was a very long time ago." Usopp shrugged looking surprisingly relaxed. "I was just seven at the time so that makes it." Usopp looked up in the air as he thoughtfully chewed on his pencil. "Eleven years and two months ago." he noted going back to his drawing.

Yasopp fell down on the deck landing on his rear as he looked surprised at Usopp. "That long?" he asked surprised. "Has she really been dead for over ten years?" he asked.

Usopp shrugged. "Guess so." he muttered. "But don't worry, it was a very peaceful death. I was with her to the end. Then she smiled and told me every-thing would be all-right, as she always does, always being very kind and positive, so that's also how she died." Usopp told. "Excuse me, I'm just going to take a bit to drink, the doctor says I am dehydrated and should drink as much as possible." Usopp told as he drowsily stood up, leaving his things behind before he walked towards the kitchen where the beverages would be.

Yasopp blinked as he looked after the strange teen, then his eyes were drawn to what was left behind… the sketch book.. shakingly Yasopp reached for it, and sat with it for a while, before he dared to open it, and on the first page he was met with the drawing of a young beautiful woman with long blond hair.. Yasopp had absolutely not idea whom that was, but the portrait was really good. Flipping the pages more people entered whom Yasopp had no idea who was, three young boys who looked a bit like vegetables, a boy with a straw-hat on his head, wait, that was Luffy the straw hat Captain! The drawing was a brilliant, it looked exactly like the wanted poster! There was a light-haired man with a funny swirly brown, a skeleton with an afro, some-thing that looked like a cross between a little human and a tanuki, probably some-thing Usopp had made up while he was bored, two young women together one with long black hair and one with shorter lighter hair. But the portraits only made out a small portion of the sketch book, so many of the pages were filled with sketches of ideas to inventions, contraptions, all sorts of stuff. It looked absolutely amazing and far from Yasopp's comprehension, then at last he reached the page that Usopp had been so consumed by, and Yasopp had to swallow as he tried not to cry. It was yet another portrait, but this one he recognised immediately. It was very good, it was of a woman with long straight black hair, a soft smile and a nose that was peculiarly long.. Banchina, the likeness was astounding, Yasopp slightly touched the page. A good artist would easily be able to draw this portrait based on a photo, but only one whom had known her intimately would concentrate so much on making her eyes look that kind, as kind as the real ones had been. And her smile as well, soft and kind, as only Banchina smiled. "He really is my son." Yasopp realised. "It's true." he sighed as he closed the book and closed his eyes looking down, and then merely sat there for a while as a few tears silently fell down from his eyes.

Slowly a pair of feet's came towards Yasopp, then stopped, right behind him.

"I really did love your mother you know." yasopp whispered as he felt the presence standing right behind him, and he knew for a fact it was Usopp, he didn't know how he knew it, he just knew that it was. "I loved her so much that I honestly thought I was going to settle with her.. But every day I ended up longing for the sea. Then when my pirate crew came back to town, I decided to leave but just for a little while.. just enough to fill me up on the adventures. I would come back once we were finished sailing the eastern blue… once we had finished sailing the grand line.. once we had finished sailing the new world." he sighed deeply. "And months turned into years, and before you know it. So much time has passed."

Yasopp felt a hand on his shoulder, and then Usopp's voice spoke. "I don't blame you." Usopp told. "Not really, I spend most of my childhood looking up to the father whom dared to really leave for sea, though I had never met him. You inspired me to really do it, and become a great pirate as well."

Yasopp smiled amused, then handed back the sketch-book over his shoulder without looking at Usopp still. "You have your mothers artistic talents." he told. "The paintings she could draw, they were as beautiful as her soul." he sighed. "And the stories that went with the pictures, they could always lift a sailors mood." then finally he turned around and looked up at Usopp. "Do you tell stories Usopp?" he asked.

Usopp smiled lightly. "People call me the biggest liar of the seven seas." he told as he let go of Yasopps shoulder. "But merely being a liar is not enough to handle yourself in the new world, don't you think?" he asked.

"Depends on how good a liar you are." Yasopp commented as he stood up, brushing his pants.

"I am the best." Usopp told in a big grin pointing at his own chest. "But there's some-thing else I want to show you. Oi Shanks?" he yelled at the reiling.

"Huh?" The red-haired captain looked up with a drowsy look in his eyes, as he stood pretty far from them, and Usopp had to yell to make himself understandable.

"So pleased to meet you Captain, Luffy told a lot about you." Usopp greeted in a grin.

Shanks smiled as he gave Usopp a thumbs up and a wink.

"Do you have a coin on you?" Usopp asked.

Drowsily Shanks rumoured in his pockets and held up a small 2 berri coin.

"Perfect!" Usopp grinned. "Would you please throw it up in the air as high as you can?" he asked.

Shanks blinked, then looked curiously at Usopp before he shrugged and did as he requested, throwing the coin truly far up in the air, so far that it went beyond the mast and up where no one could possible see it.

"Yosh." Usopp gribbed as he with practised speed put on his glasses, drew his Kabuto from his back, collected it in less than a second, straightened it as he looked up where the coin had dissapeared to… and then he shot.

Every-body blinked by the strange antics, and some movements went by before the coin finally came into view again, plummeted down and was at last being grabbed by shanks in mid-air.

Yasopp blinked. "What is supposed to have happened?" he asked.

Usopp grinned as he put his Kabuto away. "Wait for it." he asked pulling down his glasses.

Shanks blinked, then looked down in his hand and slowly opened it, before he gasped in deep surprise.

Yasopp blinked. "Captain, what is it?" he asked.

Wide-eyed Shanks held up the coin for every-one to see, to reveal a little projectile hole, right in the exact centrum of the coin.

Yasopp's mouth fell to the ground as he saw the little hole and Usopp laughed as he crossed his arms. "Did I mention that they call me the king of Snipers?" he asked.

Yasopp had to rob his eyes and double check. "That is definitely not some-thing you got from Banchina." he commented stunned.

"Nope." Usopp grinned as he shook his head. "I was lead to believe that was some-thing I got from you."

"Then you have definitely out-grown me." Yasopp wide-eyed commented scratching his head. "I could never.. _I mean!_" suddenly it seemed the man realised what he was saying and cleared his throat. "Well of cause!" he exclaimed. "You are making your old man proud, taking up the family tradition, all though." Yasopp glanced on at Usopp's kabuto. "I still don't understand _that_ thing!" he exclaimed. "What's wrong with an old fashioned gun you can always rely on?" he asked swinging his own trusted gun.

"Guns are not as accurate." Usopp shrugged. "And my kabuto is quicker to load with any kinds of ammunition."

"Yeah I saw that weird ammuntion of yours. But what's now wrong with bullets?" Yasopp. "They have always been reliable for me, they have been reliable for generations of pirates!"

"Nothing wrong with bullets, but in some situations small bombs, smoke bombs, tear gas, rotten eggs or Tabasco sauce is more useful." Usopp told pulling out a variety of bullets from his saddle to show Yasopp, whom blinked astounded. "These I all designed and made by myself." Usopp told in a smile. "Then there are these instant growing seeds, the very unique pop green that I found on a living island and modified for combat." He told very carefully pulling up a pop green. "These are extremely powerful and can grow into massive plants instantly, they can wreck entire houses on my command."

"Well I be dammed." Yasopp commented astounding sitting down on the deck with crossed legs. "I wish I had thought of any of that." He frowned. "But then again, I never had half of Banchinas creativity." He admitted rubbing his chin.

Usopp laughed sitting down in front of his father.

"Seems I got the best from both worlds." Usopp grinned. "My mothers creativity and my fathers strength and courage." He grinned lifting his arms to showcase his biceps.

Yasopp laughed loudly. "I can see that, you know what, you're all-right boy." He told pulling Usopp's had down so it covered Usopp's eyes. "You've done your old man very proud." He stated in a grin.

"What?" Usopp halted and then wide-eyed looked up at his father under his hat. "Proud?" he asked. "I've done you.. proud.." suddenly a tear appeared in his eye. "That's.. that's all I ever wanted to hear!" he sniffled and then had to wipe his eyes with his elbow due to the tears.

"No don't cry boy!" Yasopp exclaimed. "That's not manly at all!" he exclaimed, though suddenly, he was also crying and had to wipe his own eyes with his elbow.

"I'm not crying, you're the one who is crying!" Usopp exclaimed though obviously crying.

"No I'm not, you are lying again!" Yasopp exclaimed.

"I never lied to you for a bit!" Usopp exclaimed.

"Don't rebuke your father boy!" Yasopp exclaimed right back.

"Old fart!" Usopp hissed.

"_Kid!_" Yasopp replied, and suddenly they were fighting all over again. Verbally and physically.

"Well." Shanks noted amused as he rested his head in the palm of his hand looking at the two. "If that isn't a father and son, then I don't know what is." He pointed out amused as the two fought it out. Though for a pair of people fighting, both of them seemed awfully happy.


	6. Chapter 6

The pirate ship of the red haired pirates was very noisy that evening, a lot of men was yelling and cheering. And right in the centre of it between all of the pirates were two men, a very young man and a older man.. arm wrestling.

"COME ON KID YOU CAN DO IT!" the bushy bearded pirate yelled.

"COME ON YASOPP! DON'T LET THE KID GET THE BETTER OF YOU!" Dennis yelled.

And then suddenly, Usopp's arm gave in and fell down on the table to much yell from all of the pirates.

"DAMN!" Usopp hissed. "RE-MATCH!" he demanded.

Yasopp lifted an eye-brow. "Again?" he asked. "I know ten times is supposed to be your lucky time, but why not just admit it when you are beaten?" he asked in a grin pulling down in Usopp's hat, the same way he had started doing when-ever he was teasing.

Usopp hissed annoyed.

"Don't take it to bad kid." The bushy bearded pirate laughed as he clasped Usopp's shoulder. "Almost no one is able to beat our Yasopp in arm wrestling, he is the champion on this ship!" all the other pirates nodded in agreement, all of them had come, deeply curious to see Yasopp's son with their own eyes. And now all were there just having a good time while observing their guest with deep interest.

"Well! So I am I!" Usopp exclaimed. "Arm wrestling champion of the straw-hats!" he stated.

"It's a lie." Yasopp told immidately.

Usopp gaped. "How did you know!?" he asked.

"Oh so it is a lie." Yasopp commented.

"ARGH!" Usopp exclaimed. "He found out!" and then every-body laughed loudly as Usopp blushed deeply looking down on the board as the people laughed.

Yasopp chuckled as he wiped away a tear from his eye. "Not that I am really that surprised, you have Rorona Zoro on your ship. No offence, but he ought to be stronger than this."

Usopp hissed as he crossed his arms and looked away, looking as embarrassed as ever.

"Don't feel so bad kid." Dennis chuckled. "We all like you, take some sake." He offered giving Usopp a healthy mug of the beverage they were all drinking.

"Hey!" Yasopp exclaimed taking the sake away just before Usopp could accept. "What are you doing? Don't give my son sake." He demanded.

"Urh dad." Usopp blinked at him. "I'm an adult, I've been a pirate for over two years, I've drunken plenty of Sake all-ready."

Yasopp blinked as he looked wide-eyed at Usopp, then shook his head. "Right right, sorry." He mumbled very slowly handing the Sake back. "I forget, afraid I missed a lot." He mumbled.

"Don't worry about it." Usopp shrugged drinking up from his Sake.

"So why all the lies kid?" A blond pirate asked. "People see through them any-way you know."

"I don't know." Usopp admitted in a shrug. "When I was a kid, my mother always used to tell me all sorts of stories that weren't true, but I really liked them any-way. Then when she got ill, I managed by telling her a lot of stories that weren't true, and you could see on her face how much she loved it. Then I started telling stories to a lot of people, they seemed to all enjoy it as we ran around as kids, pretending to be a big dangerous pirate crew with 8,000 followers. Then I suppose it just became a habit." He shrugged taking a big drink of Sake. "But don't laugh! It's really useful out there!" he told falling into his storyteller voice. "Ones we infiltrated a marine base, and I managed to convince all of them that I was in fact a Marine inspector not a pirate." He told.

"Is it a lie?" Dennis asked.

"IT'S NOT A LIE!" Usopp exclaimed making Yasopp laugh.

"And now you can tell is the truth." Yasopp laughed hardly so you can hear it all over the boat before he took a big drink from his own sake.

"All though.. my cover sort of blew after five minutes." Usopp admitted in a deep blush making all of the pirates laugh loudly. "I WAS RATTED OUT!" Usopp exclaimed. "It wasn't my fault! I had the situation under control at that point! Later it was my planning that helped us get the ship back from the marine base." He told in a proud smirk.

Every-body laughed whole-heartedly of Usopp's anthics, though Yasopp more than most of them. "Didn't I tell you guys? My son is amazing! The great Sniper king Sogeking." He exclaimed.

"Oh boy here we go." A pirate with a horsetail rolled his eyes.

"What?" Usopp asked looking wide-eyed at the pirates around him.

"Well you see." Dennis sighed. "When-ever Yasopp have a bit to much to drink, he just wont shut up!"

"Good, I want to hear as much as I can!" Usopp exclaimed.

"You don't understand." The bushy bearded pirate snorted. "He wont ever shut up about his son Usopp, the son whom will surely become a great man one day. And now you are here giving him a whole new range of ammunition, thanks kid, real thanks." He snorted sarcastically.

"I told ya, didn't I!? I told ya!" Yasopp exclaimed as he drank his Sake. "My son is a hero of the seas!" he told making Usopp blush deeply. No one had ever really praised Usopp like that before, and right up front in front of an audience, but Yasopp didn't seem to mind as he just went on. "He is the next great Sniper king."

"Oi, I thought I all-ready were Sniper king." Usopp snorted.

"In your dreams boy." Yasopp responded in a roll of his eyes. "But don't worry, you are getting the hang of it all-ready!"

"Is that another challenge?" Usopp asked as he squinted his eyes.

"A snipers challenge?" Yasopp asked. "Pff, careful boy, I have never missed a single target in my life."

"Neither have I." Usopp told in a challenging voice.

"Wouldn't that be an excellent reason not to do it?" a new voice entered and every-body turned around to be faced with the red-haired captain of the ship. "I mean, then we would just end up being up all night, in a worst case scenario the duel would just go on for eternity." Shanks pointed out reaching for some Sake for himself.

Yasopp smiled lightly. "I suppose so, it has to wait for another day, it'll be a legendary sniper contest. What do you say Usopp?" he asked.

"It sounds like a promise." Usopp smiled to his father.

Yasopp smiled at Usopp, then got a little quiet as he turned away.

"So Usopp." Shanks took over. "I understand you are a part of Luffy's crew." He told. "How's your relationship with the captain?" he asked.

Usopp smiled. "Luffy is my best friend." He flat out told.

"So you always get along famously?" Shanks asked.

"Oh hell no." Usopp rolled his eyes. "We fight all the time, he wants to go into what is obviously a trap, I don't. He steals my food, I get annoyed. But then we are just fooling around really." He told shaking his head. "Just ones we had a real fight, we actually ended up duelling. It was a tie." He told.. a slight lie maybe, but not as unbelievable as if he had said that he won, then people would have called him out on it at ones. "But we are also have a great time together." He laughed. "We are family, we stick together to the end. That's why I must get to Citrus island as fast as possible. I all-ready know they are all looking for me, they must be worried sick."

"You're that sure?" Shanks asked.

Usopp nodded. "I know it." He told.

"Well, glad to hear it." Shanks smiled. "Luffy turned out great after-all! Can't wait till I see him again."

"I hope that'll be soon." Usopp told. "I would love to spend more time with all of you." He admitted, then turned his head back and discovered that Yasopp was gone. Usopp blinked. "Where's Yasopp?" he asked confused.

The bearded pirate shrugged. "He said he went to get some fresh air." He told.

Usopp blinked. "We are all-ready out-side." He pointed out, only for the pirate to shrug. "Excuse me." Usopp asked as he stood. "I'm.. just going to go for a walk." He told and raised up, to squuesh himself through all of the pirates, whom all wanted to clap him on the shoulder, and say how glad they were to see that he was real after all.

Finally he got away from the party, and stood on the dark deck, looking up on a starry sky. Silently Usopp walked around, looking around, before he finally saw a lonely figure by the end of the ship, leaning over the reiling looking towards the sea as the wind blew in his blond hair.

Silently Usopp walked over to the other man. "Yasopp?" he asked very carefully. "Dad.." he then tried.

Yasopp sighed deeply. "Hallo Usopp." He told.

Usopp took that as an invitation and took position beside his father, looking to the sea. Him and Yasopp, they really were the same in so many ways. They had the same height, same darker than normal skin colour. Usopp was a little more lean than the older man, but then again, only two years ago Usopp had been down-right scrawny because he had just been a teenagers, and now he had put on a lot of extra muscle. "Beautiful weather." Usopp at last commented.

"Tch." Yasopp snorted. "Weather talk? Couldn't you figure some-thing else out?" he asked.

"I don't know!" Usopp exclaimed. "What am I then supposed to say?" he asked.

Yasopp shrugged. "Dunno." He admitted. "Weather was probably the safest bet, so tell me, the tiger. How did you see it?" he asked turning to Usopp.

"I didn't." Usopp told. "Not the tiger itself at least, I just saw how they grass was moving and could estimate where the animals was." He told.

"The coin?" Yasopp asked.

"Of cause I didn't see it, I just saw the way Shanks threw it, what ankle it was going at, how quick it was going. Then I estimated." Usopp told.

"Ah, I see." Yasopp blinked. "Good! For a moment there I thought you had better eye-sight than me. But that should be impossible! I can still see an ants leg while it's 20 meters away, and I can shoot off that leg." He snorted. "And when-ever I can see my target, I will hit it. I never miss a shot." He told.

Usopp grinned. "That's what mom always said." He told.

Yasopp sighed. "Usopp, do my a favour and be careful about what you promise." He asked.

Usopp blinked. "Why?" he asked. "Aren't they my promises to make?"

"You are at sea now, things are different out here, or havn't you figured yet?" Yasopp asked. "I'm sure every-one in your crew made some kind of a promise, but how many of them have been able to full-fill that promise?" he asked.

Usopp blinked. "None." He then admitted.

"I promised your mother to come back." Yasopp told. "And until today, I really thought I was going to keep that promise." He sighed. "Good thing I ran into you, I can't imagine what it would have been like to come back to Syrup, only to find a grave and a empty house." He muttered.

"I'm… sorry." Usopp tried.

"Don't be, it was my decision." Yasopp told in a shrug. "Tell me, that girl that gets the honour of being the first thing to see in your sketch book. Did you make a promise to her?" he asked.

Usopp halted a bit, then sighed deeply as he looked towards the sea. "I did." He admitted. "I promised I would come back and tell her stories about all of the adventures I would have." He told. "But nothing else." He then stated.

Yasopp shrugged going back to looking at the water.

"Now I ask you a question." Usopp told. "I know you are all awfully strong on this crew, so how the hell did the marines get you?" he asked.

Yasopp rolled his eyes. "They cheated." He muttered annoyed. "They used tear gas and gas-masks to render us temporarily defenceless." He mumbled.

"Ah, I see." Usopp nodded. "Even Luffy could be a victim to that." He noted. "And certainly Zoro." He commented. "It isn't cheating though, you just have to fight with what you got!"

"Yeah, but it's easier to face defeat when you claim the other part was cheating." Yasopp smirked.

"So lie?" Usopp asked.

"I suppose you could call it that." Yasopp admitted. "You know, I could drink some more Sake, why don't we go back to the rest?" he asked.

"Sounds good to me." Usopp nodded as the two returned.

"OI USOPP!" a pirate yelled immediately by the sight of them. "Come on boy! Tell us about enies lobby, what madness made your crew declare war on the entire world government!"

Usopp grinned as Yasopp gave Usopp's shoulder an encouraging clap. "Well come on, tell us boy, tell us!" he demanded.

Usopp grinned as he sat down again and reached for a huge mug of Sake. "Well that is quite a story." He told. "It involves hurt, tears, bravery, an example of how much the strawhat values each and every-one of their members, cause we are all nakama. And of cause, it was the birth of a hero, Sogeking the king of snipers." Usopp grinned proudly as he began telling while every-one laughed and listened by his peculiar way of presenting the story, even Shanks were listening in with a smile while drinking his own sake, though the one yelling and laughing the loudest, that was Yasopp, and as far as Usopp was concerned, it was like the best evening ever. He felt so good that he could even admit to have been clinging hopelessly to Zoro's arm when the two had been cuffed together, though in Usopp's version.. he had not broken a sweat and been incredible cool about it!

* * *

"You're not holding it probably!" Yasopp exclaimed.

"Yes I am!" Usopp responded, it was the next morning, the sun was up, the sky was blue. And Usopp was holding Yasopp's gun, aiming at a target board.

"No! Just listen to me!" Yasopp hissed. "And do as I tell you!" he demanded.

"I can use _any_ sniper weapon and I have never missed a target." Usopp exclaimed back as he finally pulled the trigger… and the next thing Usopp knew he was thrown backwards due to the sheer force of the gun shoot, before he at last landed on his back, almost hammering his head into the mast. Wide-eyed Usopp sat up and looked with wide eyes at the target.. well.. his record of never having missed a shot still held up, he had hit the target square Centrum.. and there was a big black mark to proof it. The massive power of the gun had just been stronger than Usopp and threw him back.

"That's what I tried to tell you." Yasopp sighed. "You were doing it wrong." He told taking the gun away from Usopp then made a shot himself, without moving as much as an inch.

"Now try again." Yasopp demanded throwing the gun back at Usopp. "And just do as I instruct." He asked.

Usopp how-ever, seemed far more interested in the gun itself than firing with it as he started to exanimate it. "This is not an ordinary gun." He commented. "It's far to powerful, not a lot of people would be able to use it without getting hurt themselves." He stated.

"I didn't build it myself, but I had it costum made." Yasopp smirked.

"I see." Usopp nodded turning it around in his hands, examining every inch of it.

"Your father is a machine in battle." A new man told as he entered, it was Shanks. "I've seen him gun down hundreds of men coming towards him, and then when he ran out of armo, he would just hit them so they laid unconscious."

Yasopp laughed loudly. "Yeah that's true." He grinned.

"Wow." Usopp told looking wide-eyed at them.

"You should feel honoured, I have never seen Yasopp let any one else as much as touch his gun." Shanks commented.

"And I guess it's for the better." Yasopp sighed taking his gun back. "This is my weapon, it's not really meant for other people."

"But It thought you were going to try my Kabuto now." Usopp muttered disappointed.

"Not on your life." Yasopp laughed. "Beside that's your weapon."

"And your boat is ready for you Usopp." Shanks told.

"What!?" Both Yasopp and Usopp surprised turned to Shanks as they blinked.

"Your boat." Shanks told Usopp. "So you can get to Citrus island, afraid we are going in the opposite direction, and I was counting on setting sails in a few hours." He told. "You wanted to be going as fast as possible right?" he asked.

"Erh.. right!" Usopp exclaimed. "Of cause, thank you very much." He told.

"Then pack your things, the boat is waiting for you right over there." Shanks pointed to the left a boat was hanging from the side of the ship, ready to be hoisted down in the waters.

"Thank you." Usopp repeated again. "It'll help a lot, I'll tell Luffy of how great you have all been." He told.

"Give him my best wishes." Shanks asked in a smile, and then left Usopp alone with Yasopp.

The two men was left in silence, then blinked a bit before they looked at each other. "Well you don't have to go right away." Yasopp pointed out. "You heard the captain, you could wait another few hours." He told.

"No, better not." Usopp sighed closing his bag. "Every extra hour I spend out here is an extra hour where my crew has to worry for no reason." He told. "I can't do that to them." He stated putting his bag over his shoulder. "It has to be now." He told turning around just about to take a step towards the boat.

"Usopp wait!" Yasopp exclaimed as he grabbed his arm.

Surprised Usopp turned around.

"Dammit." Yasopp hissed. "I've just met you again after all of this time and now you're just leaving! Don't you have any respect boy?" he asked.

"I'm afraid that's how it is with children." Usopp told in a smile as he shook his head. "They grow up and get a life on their own." He told looking up at Yasopp. "I all-ready know this is the sea, and any-thing could happen, as far as we know we aint going to meet again. But hey." Usopp grinned. "I got to meet you now and show off what I had learned." He laughed. "I made two promises to my mother, I promised that I would become a great man of the sea, and I promised I would go and find you. And now I have! Promises well spend don't you think?" he asked in a wink.

Yasopp looked at Usopp then shook his head as he let go of Usopp's wrist, but then instead dragged Usopp into a hug. "You're right, you're right I'm sorry. I am just being foolish." Yasopp told as he hugged Usopp. "And I'm afraid I have difficultly seeing you as a man at all, I mean I know that you are, it's just."

"Don't worry dad." Usopp then smiled as they let go, and Usopp in stretched arms held Yasopp's shoulders. "I'm pretty sure we'll meet again, all of the red haired pirates and all of the straw-hats, we'll meet up. And it wont be long!" he stated in a grin. "Then we'll party, and have enough time to tell every-thing about our lives to each other." He told before he let go and turned to get to the promised boat. "Oh and one last thing!" Usopp turned around to look at Yasopp. "Mom, she never blamed you, she always spoke very highly of you in every turn, and when she did she smiled." He told as he as well smiled. "It seems to me she knew you better than you think, seems to me that she all-ready knew you belonged on the ocean, not settled down, she all-ready know she had ended up picking a man whom couldn't possible settle down for a long time, but she was at peace with that. Some-thing I even think that she knew, some-day I would go as well and never settle." Usopp pondered. "But she didn't mind, you know mom, all that really mattered to her, was our happiness. I am quite sure she would be very happy now was she alive."

"Dammit boy, don't say stuff like that! Yasopp exclaimed as tears started to form in his eyes and he desperately tried to wipe them away with his arms. "And stop crying it's not manly!" he exclaimed.

Tears really had formed in Usopp's eyes and he was wiping them away. "I'm not crying _you're _the one crying!" he exclaimed.

"Don't rebuke your father boy!" Yasopp exclaimed, though instead of making Usopp retort again as he usually would, he ended up laughing. Laughing loudly and wholly.

"I would love to stay for another fight dad, but I _really _need to get going." Usopp commented in a smile.

Yasopp shook his head as he sighed. "All-right, lets get going." He commented grabbing Usopp's shoulder, as they both walked the short distance to the little row-boat they had promised Usopp. Where all of the other red-haired pirates all-ready stood ready to wish the peculiar boy farewell.

With ease Usopp jumped into the boat and started to untie the ropes.

"Why the rush boy?" A pirate finally asked. "You could stay for another day, we would love to hear more about the strawhats."

"Sorry." Usopp mumbled. "Every hours I spend here is an hour where my crew has to worry, and a hour where I delay their journey." He commented in a smile untyding the ropes.

"Oi, don't forget this!" a pirate yelled throwing some-thing at Usopp which Usopp grabbed, to light up as he saw it.

"A compass needle!" Usopp grinned.

"And it points directly to citrus island, so you just have to follow that."

"Thank you so much!" Usopp laughed going back to the ropes, and was nearly done untying them so he could lower his boat.

Yasopp exhaled. "You know Usopp, it's not very safe to row a row boat alone in the new world." He commented. "You could stay at this crew we would welcome you." He pointed out.

"huh?" Usopp looked up.

"We'll run into the straw-hats eventually as you said, then you can rejoin them." Yasopp pointed out. " We could use a good extra Sniper." He told.

Usopp grinned, then shook his head. "Sorry dad, this crew all-ready has one excellent sniper, and I need to be the best, beside the straw-hats would just be lost without me." Usopp grinned. "Luffy aint going to be pirate king on his own, he needs my help." He stated. "So I better get to Citrus island before they set sail to their next destination."

"All-right." Shanks replied to Usopp. "Though Usopp, if you don't make it, our next destination is lemon island, Yasopp is right, we could use an extra sniper, but I only take the best so we have been running into a problem when it comes to that. You are always welcome in our crew." he told.

"Thanks, but I wont need it." Usopp told. "I'll make it to the straw-hats, you'll see. Well guys, it's been fun! I'm looking so much forward to see all of you again in a near future." He laughed as he lowered the boat, and it finally hit the water beneath them. "Luffy is sure going to be jalouse that I spend time with the great Shanks." He snickered.

"Oi what about me?" Yasopp asked.

"You're my dad, what can I say to that?" Usopp asked as he threw away the line so his boat was free to go. "I'm just so happy I got to meet you, you're cool." He grinned giving his dad a thumbs up as he sailed away.

"Oh that's my boy." Yasopp sniffed whisking away a tear. "Look him sail away like that, that's a real man." He hiccupped. "And my boy! Isn't he cool!?" he asked.

"Meh, seems like a bit of a whimp to me." Dennis commented beside him, only to receive a fist right in the head.

"Oi! Shut up! Are you blind?" Yasopp asked in a sneer.

"Okay, okay I get it!" Dennis hissed. "Your son is amazing, just as you always said, jesh!" he hissed.

"Good." Yasopp smiled tightening his fist. "Is it ready?" he asked.

"Yeah." Dennish nodded.

Yasopp nodded as he looked to the sea, where Usopp was all-ready pretty far out. "OI USOPP!" he yelled making Usopp look up. Yasopp nodded at Dennis, whom pulled out an old fashioned sling-shot and a two berri coin, Yasopp took the items from him and with accuracy aimed up in the air with the slingshot. Then he shot, and the two berri coin hurled up in the air, far higher than what any-one could ever throw it, far out of sight and ear, then Yasopp pulled a revolver, and he shot in the same direction.

Usopp blinked as he looked up in the air, where the coin and the shot had disappeared to, then some-thing glistening came back down, but in his direction. Usopp only had to hold out his hands, and suddenly a tiny little object landed in his palms. Usopp looked down at it, and saw, it was the two berri coin, but now with a smoking hole right in the middle. Usopp looked up at the red haired pirate ship, where Yasopp was laughing loudly. That shut had exceeded Usopp's master shot, no doubt about it.

Usopp grinned as he looked at his coin, then he stuffed a hand in his saddle and soon found a string, which he put through the still warm hole of the two berri coin, before he tied the coin to his own neck as if it was a necklace and Usopp grinned. As he stood up facing his father.

This was a promise! A promise about a sniper contest unlike what any-one had ever seen! A sniper contest of sheer legend, that was to come in the future, but not to far!


	7. Chapter 7

At a stone by the shore on a island, there was sitting a really reindeer looking out on the blue ocean. The weather was perfect, perfect blue sky, perfectly blue ocean. But none of that mattered to the young doctor, he was crying his eyes out. "Usopp." Chopper sniffed as tears ran down his eyes. "Why.. Why Usopp?" he asked in a hiccup, so busy was he crying, that he didn't even notice the shadow, silently sneaking up on him. Chopper didn't realise at all.. before a voice started calling out, a horrible voice that sounded hoars, hollow and echoe. "Chooppeeer.. Chooooppeeer…. CHOOOOPPEEEEERRRRR."

"ARGH!" Chopper jumped up in a frightening scream as his fur stood straight up all over his body. "Who's there?" he asked staring all around him with big wide-eyes… except right behind him.

"It is I! Usopp!" The hollow voice spoke in a deep dark tone.

"ARGH! USOPP!" Chopper screamed, suddenly recognising the voice. "Are you… are you a ghost?" he asked a little frightened.

"YES, I am the ghost who has come to punish you for all your miss-deeds." Usopp's voice hauled.

"NOOOOO!" Chopper exclaimed then fell down on his knees as he sniffed. "All-right. You gave your life for mine Usopp, what-ever punishment you see fit, I'll take it, for your sake." Chopper looked up with tears in his eyes. "What-ever I can do to give you peace Usopp! I'll do it! I promise!"

"There is only one punishment fitting for this, it is a dreaded and scary punishment, even the great admirals whom cheated on their men, had to endure it, and so many was driven insane in hell by this punishment I shall now have to bestow on you." Usopp's voice whispered.

Chopper swallowed then fell over resting on his stone on his fore hooves. "Okay, that's fine." He told.

"Are you ready for this punishment?" Usopp's voice asked.

"Hai." Chopper answered squinting his eyes close.

"All-right, this will hurt my soul deeply." Usopp's voice told. "The punishment I shall now bestow on you is…. TICKLING!" And by that last word Chopper was attacked by some-thing that felt way to solid to be any ghost, some-thing big and strong, that now tickled Chopper all over his tiny furry body, making Chopper screamed in sheer laughter as tears rolled down his hairs.

"Stop, STOP IT!" Chopper cried in laughter. "I can't take it! I can't, I can't!" he laughed as the thing kept tickling him all over the body.

"Oh Chopper." A person laughed wiping away a tear. "You are so naïve some-times." He grinned ruffling up Choppers fur before he sat back. "What miss-deeds have you ever done?" he asked in a wink.

"Huh?" Chopper looked up, then he looked up and his eyes widened. It was Usopp! And he looked incredible well and happy for a ghost. For some moments Chopper just starred at Usopp, before carefully stepped forward, and then as if Usopp was some kind of an abnormality, tried to poke Usopp's arm, just slightly poking it, then again, the over and over. "You seem very solid for a ghost." Chopper pointed out as he kept on poking Usopp's arm.

Usopp laughed. "That's because I am not a ghost baka." Usopp laughed pulling down Chopper's hat so the reindeer couldn't see. "I'm not a devil fruit user remember, I was able to swim to shore and lend a boat to get back to the sunnys next destination, my row-boat is right over there." He pointed to his left, where true enough, there was a row boat, and then Usopp laughed.

Quietly Chopper pulled up his hat, then looked up at Usopp with big eyes and then he brightened up. "Huh..USOPP YOUR ALIVE!" Chopper laughed jumping up embracing Usopp's neck. "I knew you would be! You would have to be! Usopp! Usopp!" he laughed clinging to Usopp's neck.. almost choking the young man.

"Easy Chopper, I sure am happy to see you to." Usopp assured as he choked. "I would also love to be alive long enough to see the others again." He stated as his head was turning blue.

"OH!" Chopper exclaimed as he loosened his grip and Usopp gaped for air.

"Much better." Usopp grinned. "Care for a ride back to the sunny?" he asked.

"YAY!" Chopper exclaimed as Usopp firmly placed the little reindeer on his shoulders where Chopper could grab his head, and then holding Choppers feet's closely, Usopp started running as both of them yelled together.

"GUYS! GUYS! EVERY-BODY COME QUICK! IT'S USOPP!"

As the ship came into sight, so did the two people on watch duty, Zoro sleeping up against a tree and Nami sitting on a beach chair, looking a little sad and thoughtful, though by Usopp's and Choppers call she slowly raised her head and looked towards them, then her eyes widened and she screamed. "USOPP!" Nami exclaimed as she sprung up from the chair and ran to meet him. "YOU'RE OKAY!" Nami exclaimed and then embraced him in a big hug hopping up and down. "YAY!"

"Oi Oi Nami, what kind of a man of the sea would I be if I couldn't stand a bit of swimming?" Usopp asked as Nami finally let go of him.

"We were under a storm you idiot!" Nami hissed hitting Usopp over the head. "What were you thinking?" she asked.

"Look, I can swim, Chopper couldn't, it was an easy choice." Usopp muttered rubbing his sore head after Nami's hit.

"So you really did just swim to shore?" Nami asked.

"Yeah." Usopp muttered rubbing his head. "I ended on another island, and you'll never guess whom I ran into there." He told looking up.

"Who?" Both Nami and Chopper asked.

"The crew of red-haired Shanks." Usopp told. "And my dad."

Wide-eyed Nami looked at him as Chopper yelled from his back. "WOW!"

Nami blinked, then shook her head. "Liar." She stated.

"IT'S NOT A LIE!" Usopp exclaimed. "I've just met and said goodbye to my dad I have never seen before, in just one day, why would I lie about any-thing like that?" he asked swinging with his arms.

Nami blushed deeply as she embarrassed looked down. "Sorry." She muttered. "That just sounded so unbelievable.. how.. how was it?" Nami asked looking up at Usopp. "Meeting him and all of that."

"It was…" Usopp hesitated. "Strange, and nothing like I could have ever imagined." He told taking Chopper of his back to then put the reindeer down on the ground in front of him. "But also great, amazingly great in fact, better than what I could have imagined!" He smiled. "To bad I had to leave so quick."

"How quick?" Nami asked.

"As soon as I was rested and nourished, then Shanks lend me one of his life-boats and I hurried here." Usopp told. "I just had to make sure that I would arrive before you all left."

"Baka you didn't have to hurry so much." Nami sighed as she shook her head. "We had all-ready decided to give you three weeks to get to this island before we sailed on."

"Hh well then, I can just leave." Usopp stated turning around.

"HEY!" Nami exclaimed.

And Usopp turned his head as he smiled. "Nami, it was a joke." He told turning around again. "I would have hurried back as fast as I could any-way, I wouldn't want you to worry longer than necessary." He told in a grin.

"You're such an idiot." Nami pouted.

"So, where are all the others?" Usopp asked looking around.

"Looking for supplies." Nami exhaled. "It would take for-ever to find them, they should be back soon on their own."

"Oh well." Usopp shrugged as he found two new beach chairs close to the ship. "I think Zoro might have the right idea, I'm exhausted." Usopp yawned putting up beach chairs for himself and Chopper next to Namis.

"You're exhausted!?" Nami exclaimed. "We have all spend _days _worrying sick about you baka!" she hissed.

"And I did my best so you wouldn't have to for long." Usopp yawned laying down in the shadow. "Which meant rowing sins sun-rise this very day, which means." He glanced towards the setting sun in front of him. "All day, I'm beat." He mumbled closing his eyes.

Nami exhaled. "When you are to tired to even lie about your big adventures, or tell how you beat a sea monster, I guess it must be true." Nami admitted laying down on her own beach chair as Chopper crawled up on his, holding a big candy floss for nippling.

* * *

It wasn't long before the first crew members came back from the scovering, it was Brook and Sanji, the two of them barely noticed the people that laid in the sun as they were involved in talk on the thing.

"You think Usopp san will come back?" Brook asked Sanji as the two men walked in front of the sun bathers.

"Who knows." Sanji mumbled. "Not that I care about that shitty sharp-shooter any-way , I mean." He mumbled in a even lower voice.

"Oh so sad." Brook cried. "To die so young at sea, well at least he lived his dream." He stated as he wiped a tear that wasn't even there.

Usopp glanced over his sun-glasses honestly wondering when the guys would even notice him, Nami seemed equally fascinated with this.

"Oh shut up will you!" Sanji hissed turning to Brook. "I don't care! Isn't that obvious?" he asked with a tear in his eye.

Usopp sighed deeply before he addressed them. "Oi Sanji, what's for Dinner, I'm starving." He asked.

"Then be patient Usopp, food takes the time it takes." Sanji hissed turning to him then halted as his eyes widened. "Wait, Usopp?" he asked.

"USOPP-SAN!" Brook exclaimed. "So alive and not bones at all! I'm so glad that I could die! YOHOHOHO!" Brook exclaimed. "though I'm all-ready dead." He pointed out.

"YOU IDIOT!" Sanji exclaimed hoisting Usopp up by the braises. "Here we walk around all worried for you, and then you just sit there sipping orange juice!?" he asked.

"OI OI! I WAS TIRED!" Usopp exclaimed. "I had been rowing all the way from another island to here as fast as I could!"

"That is pretty far actually." Nami noted. "You must really have put in some afford Usopp."

Usopp blinked. "Well, I am a strong man of the sea you know." He told, playing with his arm muscles just to show off.

Sanji sneered one last time before he dropped Usopp and was by Namis feet's. "Would you like any-thing Nami swaaan?" he asked. "A fruit cocktail? A smoothie before dinner?"

"I'll take two cocktails." Nami blinked.

"Two?" Sanji asked.

"Hai, for me and my friend whom hasn't eaten all day." Nami blinked. "You wouldn't refuse me would you Sanji-san?" she asked in a small pout.

"NO Nami-swan! Never Nami Swan, I am on my way!" Sanji told as he skipped to the deck.

"Yohoho, he never changes." Brook laughed.

"Ow guys!" Franky called from where he came with Robin by his side. "What's all the noise about."

"Sanji was just about to kill Usopp all over again." Nami sighed while Usopp was still composing himself from being dropped on the ground.

"Usopp?" Franky asked then his eyes widened. "wait, USOPP?" he exclaimed.

"Hai, hai." Usopp waved from the sand.

'"USOPP-BRO!" Franky exclaimed easily picking up the long-nosed sniper. "So glad to see you intact, we were worried bro." he laughed and gave Usopp a noddgie.

"Argh, put me down!" Usopp pleaded, only for Franky to snigger.

"Good to see you longnose-san." Was Robins simple greeting as she send him one of her smiles, which you could always tell were genuine. "Some of us really were worried, I'm so glad." She told and then wandered pass him to deck.

At last Usopp got back to his chair where he sighed deeply, just as Sanji came with the promised fruit cocktails. Usopp was usually never treated any of these between meal treats, they used to go to Nami and Robin exclusively, so as Usopp's stomach rumbled, he tried to tell how thank-full he was.

"Don't mention it." Sanji waved him off. "You must be starving." Was his final words as he returned to the ship to start cooking.

"Ahh." Usopp exhaled as he laid back with his fruit. "This is the life, now only Luffy is missing." He pointed.

"He'll come when it's dinner time." Nami shrugged.

"In the mean-time, I am just so happy that I have to play a tune." Brook commented as he found his violin, sat down on the beach beside the other crew members whom had decided to relax, and played a soft yet upbeat little tune, lifting the spirit even more by every-one.

Finally, just before dinner was served, as if Luffy had a sixth sense about these sort of things he came wandering, and was ones again one of those who passed Usopp.

"Oi Luffy!" Usopp exclaimed.

"Huh?" Luffy turned around and saw Usopp laying there.

"I'm back!" Usopp pronounced.

"So I see." Luffy smiled. "Great! Then we can set sail again tomorrow."

"Luffy, that's kind of a low reaction of seeing me alive again." Usopp pointed out.

Luffy shrugged. "I wasn't worried, I all-ready know every-body in my crew is very strong, they wouldn't be beaten by a tiny little storm." He stated and then simply walked on deck.

Usopp blinked as he looked after Luffy. "huh.." he noted.

As fun as the previous night had been with the red-haired pirate ship, being back with his real crew was even more fun. Sanji served up Usopp's favourite food, though he didn't say a word about it, and neither did Usopp, just showed his gratitude by smiling and giving the cook a thumbs up.

Chopper seemed to most happy about Usopp's return, and tried to hijack him for a check-up several times, just to make sure that he was all-right. They were all okay.

After dinner as usual, was the time the crew was the most silent, all of them trying to digest Sanjis wonderful cooking.

Usopp was out on the deck of the sunny breathing in the air, that's when he looked to the big lion head, where Luffy was taking his after noon nap on top of it looking to the stars.

Usopp shook his head as he walked towards that lion head and started crawling, before he could see his Captain laying there with open eyes looking up at the sky. "Luffy." Usopp called getting his attention.

"Huh?" Luffy asked turning his head.

"I got some-thing to talk to you about." Usopp told as he climbed up beside Luffy at the lion head.

"Hm hm." Luffy turned to him. "What?" he asked.

Usopp exhaled. "When I fell over-board, I didn't just float up on mango-island you know." He told. "I just swam as good as I could, and ended up on that island, but I wasn't alone there I met some-one."

Luffy blinked. "And so what?" he asked.

Usopp shook his head. "I meat the crew of red-haired shanks." He told making Luffy's eyes widen. "All of them, including my father." He admitted.

"Wow." Luffy blinked as he sat up. "Well, congratulations!" he grinned. "You finally achieved one of your goals!"

Usopp blinked. "You're not mad that it was me and not you?" he asked. "Shanks was there." He pointed out.

"Njah, we'll meet soon enough any-way." Luffy shrugged. "Beside, I've all-ready met all of them in a age so I can remember it, you didn't even have a memory of your father, so you deserved this for sure." He told.

"Thanks Luffy." Usopp smiled thankfully. "I also told Shanks that our crews would met very soon again, so we better keep that promise." He pointed out.

"Of cause!" Luffy grinned. "He is really that close? Yeah, then it could happen any moment." He grinned laying down on the lions head. "So how did it go with your father?" he asked.

Usopp smiled to himself. "I realise now, part of the things I did was things I did, because I wanted to become a person my dad could be proud of ones he met me." He told as he also laid down beside Luffy, though on his tummy resting his head in his arms. "And he was so proud!" Usopp grinned. "He couldn't stop praising me and claiming me his son, no one has ever treated me like that before." He told in a wide smile. "It was absolutely amazing. I really did it didn't I Luffy?" Usopp asked. "I became a great warrior of the sea."

Luffy grinned. "Sure did! So what are you going to do now you all-ready have met both your dreams?" he asked.

"Pff, easy." Usopp snorted as he turned to his back looking up in the sky. "I am going to sail under the next pirate king for a while. I'll sail the entire world so I can see the creation of the worlds first world map, I am going to revisit a giant whale, I am going to see some-thing called the all-blue where all the fish's in the world swim at the same place. And after that, who knows?" he asked as he shrugged. "I haven't really thought that far."

Luffy grinned as he turned his head. "Sounds like an amazing idea." He told and reached out a hand, which Usopp grabbed, only for them to let go and then fist bump together as they both grinned. "You are going to see all of this through to the end with me aren't you?" Luffy asked in a grin.

"What are you kidding?" Usopp asked. "Of cause I am! I was there in the beginning I will be there by the end! I need to have the entire story with me for later."

"Good." Luffy nodded and then fell back on his back as he closed his eyes. "Then every-thing will be just fine." He smiled to himself and then seemingly fell a sleep with a snot bobble coming out his nose.

Usopp shook his head as he looked up in the sky. "You are so naïve Luffy." He whispered more to himself than any-one else. "Havn't you figured out yet, that our line of work is very dangerous, we don't know if every-thing will be just fine." He sighed deeply. "But oh well, as long as we all life every moment we have to the fullest and pursue our dreams as good as we can, yeah.. yeah I guess it will all be just fine." He shrugged as he laid side by side with his captain, the first person to believe strongly enough in him to take him with him. To let Usopp grow and archive a greater potential, to let him become the man he always wanted to be. His friend, his captain, his brother his family.

All though, his family had just extended a nudge, as was evident when a big yell sounded from the Red haired pirates ship at a otherwise very ordinary random day.

"THE STRAW HAT PIRATES HAVE STRIKEN AGAIN!"

The pirates rolled their eyes, excited by the news sure, but not _that _excited.

"And look at this!" Yasopp exclaimed folding out the newspapers. "Hit a marine from a one hundred food distance, that has to be Usopp! My son! Shooting at the marines. HAH!" he laughed. "Isn't it great!?" he asked all the others.

"Yes Yasopp." A pirate muttered in a yawn. "It's great."

But Yasopp didn't care as he in a grin read through the news paper article for the tenth time, as he always would when the straw hats were mention in the newspaper. With a happiness so big that it was hard to contain.

And soon, soon enough. They would all meet again. Both Usopp and Yasopp knew that, they had made a promise!


	8. Chapter 8

_AN; Well, writing my story I suddenly got interested in how Yasopp actually left Usopp and Banchina, what was their little story together, when was the last time he saw Usopp? And well.. this is just my take on it, hope you'll enjoy and don't get to sad. _

* * *

All-ready now, even though he was very young, Yasopp had all-ready experienced horrors big enough to make most people wet themselves.

He had fought sea monsters, ridden on storms able to destroy islands and fought enemies much stronger than himself, yet always managed to come out on the other side all-right.

Yet, Yasopp had never been more terriefied in his entire life, than when he sat there on the bench, clutching his trousers leg, as a womans scream sounded from the next room.

Yasopp squinted his eyes. "God Banchina." He hissed. "What's happening?" he asked running a hand through his hair for the time number thousand doing the last couple of hours. That was when banchinas cries stopped, and a new smaller cry started.

Yasopp looked up, and wide-eyed at the door, as a nurse stepped out and looked at him.

"What?" Yasopp asked. "how? Is…" he tried to ask as there was complete silence in the next room, to much silence.

The nurse smiled. "It's all-right." She told. " Child and mother are both healthy, you can come in now." She invited stepping aside.

Yasopp swallowed as he stood up, and carefully stepped inside, shaking like a nervous leaf. And then he saw them, Banchina sitting in the bed, a sun-ray shinning in on her face, and in her arms she was holding a little bundle.. a very little bundle. Then Banchina looked up and met Yasopps eyes as she smiled. "Hallo love." Banchina whispered. "Come and meet your son."

Yasopp's eyes widened. "My.. my son?" he asked.

Banchina smiled as she gave on simple nod. "Hai." She told. "Your son."

Yasopp swallowed as he carefully stepped closer and at last sat himself by the corner of the bed, then at last Banchina pulled away the sheet so a tiny little head appeared.

The little baby had a darker than usual skin tone, just like Yasopp, there were small tuffs of black hair on the babies scalp. "He's.." Yasopp swallowed. "He's amazing." He told.

"Afraid he got my nose though." Banchina pointed out, gesturing at the all-ready now long nose, long for a baby at least.

"Of cause he does!" Yasopp exclaimed. "Like you he got the most perfect nose in the world!" he stated.

Banchina smiled. "Here." She reached the baby over the Yasopp and suddenly he held the tiny creature in his arms.

"WARGH!" Yasopp exclaimed deeply surprised. "No! what do I do!?" he asked bewildered, frightened of the tiny creature he was now holding.

"just hold him, you're doing fine." Banchina assured. "Hold still."

And at Yasopp did. "He.. he's so tiny." Yasopp pointed out.

"He'll grow." Banchina assured. "And become a strong man just like his father one day, I can tell." She smiled.

Then the baby opened his eyes, and dark eyes met another pair of dark eyes as Yasopp starred into the eyes of his son, it was almost like being hypnotised.

Then the baby opened his mouth.. And immediately started to cry as he hit all around himself, even slapping Yasopp's hand away.

"Ban-Banchina!" Yasopp stammered. "He's crying!" he exclaimed. "What?" he asked hopelessly.

Banchina laughed. "Relax, he's just hungry." She told taking the baby back. "He's a decisive little pirate."

"And strong for such a little tyke." Yasopp commented waving his hand, where he could swear the baby had hurt him a little.. even if the babies fist were only the seize of a larger walnut.

"Of cause he is." Banchina stated as she kissed the babies forehead. "So Yasopp, what should we call him?" he asked.

"He should have a strong name of cause!" Yasopp exclaimed. "Look at him! He's a little warrior all-ready! The great warrior Alcatra? Resando the great? I know, how about.."

"Usopp." Banchina interrupted him. "How about Usopp?" she asked.

Yasopp blinked. "Usopp?" he asked. "Lie? Why lie?" he asked.

"For one thing it's very similar to Yasopp." Banchina pointed out clutching the little one.

"But it's not that impressive or manly." Yasopp pointed out.

"I know." Banchina smiled. "But the thing is, he wont need a big impressive name to present himself with, he'll be plenty impressive on his own. It's much more impressive when people have small names that eventually becomes big because of their actions, don't you think?" Banchina asked looking at Yasopp.

Yasopp looked at Banchina, then his eyes turned soft as he ended up smiling. "Right." He told. "You're right, hallo Usopp." He whispered to the little baby. "I'm your dad, and there's just three things you need to know. One, I am the warrior out of the two of us, got that? you wont ever surpass me, two, I don't mind, I'm very proud of you any-way. And three, I love you." He told the baby as he kissed the boy, also on the forehead.

* * *

Yasopp didn't want to admit it, he absolutely hated to admit it! He hated himself for it, every single day.

That he would spend most of his days, not with his wife and child, not caring for them, but taking long walks by the shore, really long walks.

Yasopp loved his wife and child, he loved them with all of his heart, and he knew that he did! So why did his chest feel so heavy? Why did he spend his evenings at the inn? Why didn't he laugh as he had done as they begun? Why did he feel so tired and hopeless even though he had every-thing? It didn't make any sense at all! Loads of men would praise the heaven to be in his situation. Settled with a loving wife and child. So why wasn't he? Why?

Beforehand Yasopp had been the kind of man to always have a big broad smile on his face, a twinkle in his eyes and a big thundering deep laugh people could hear ringing over the landscape on a dayly basis.

Now not so much, only a few things could make him smile just a little bit, his wife greeting him with a smile, a swim by the beach. And his son, Usopp.

Usopp had quickly proven himself to be a resistant little tyke, always filled with energy, all-ready now getting himself into constant trouble where ever he went. And that was in spite of the fact that he had barely begun to walk!

He would pull all sorts of things apart to see how they worked inside, climb the kitchen counter, use sticks he found on the ground to try and get down the cookie jar from the tall shelf. The lad was _very_ creative with his resources!

It was a wonder that Usopp was not bigger when considering the way he ate all food within his reach, but he was a skinny little tyke, both Yasopp and Banchina agreed that had to be because of all of Usopp energy, how you just never knew where he were or what he would be up to next. One moment he would be poking at a cat with a stick, acting all high and mighty, then the cat would hiss and Usopp would drop the stick as he would run and scream for his life hiding behind what-ever nearest parent.

There was never a moments peace with that little tyke around, only when he fell over his own legs and instantly falling a sleep in the middle of what-ever mess he had created, he was just destined for constant trouble!

Right that moment Yasopp sat with one of his tiny yet exhausted smile on his lips as he observed Usopp playing with a bunch of rubber bands he had found in a drawer, doing target practise at the crayons he had used a moment before to draw with.

"Come on Usopp." Yasopp whispered as the little child took aim. "You can do it, you can take it down." He encouraged.

And then Usopp fired the rubber band, but as a result felt right backwards on the head due to the drawback force. Rubbing his little head Usopp looked up with a tear in his eyes, ready to cry. That was when he caught eye of Yasopp.

"You did it." Yasopp smiled at him. "A true marksman, good job boy." He stated giving the child whom could hardly understand him a thumbs off.

It was enough for Usopp though as he immediately tried to wipe away his tears, in a clear attempt to look as tough as possible, as always in front of any adult as he laughed show-casing a missing baby tooth he had lost on one of his tree climbing adventures and yelled. "DADA!" one of the only two words he could say at that point as he reached up towards Yasopp repeating the word. "Dada!" he grinned.

"You bet." Yasopp replied as he picked Usopp up so Usopp could make a firm grab around his neck. "Easy." Yasopp instructed. "A strong little man like you, you could end up choking some-one." He told.

Usopp though didn't seem to hear it but just happily clinged to his dead with closed eyes as he repeated his one word. "Dada."

Yasopp smiled lightly as he patted his sons black curls, but then he did his mistake, looked out of the window, where he could see the ocean in the far off distance, and his eyes and smile automatically faltered to a more solemn state.

Usopp seemed to notice the different at ones as he confused let go of Yasopp's neck and looked up. "Dada?" he asked confused.

"Sorry kid." Yasopp mumbled. "I'll help you target practise some other day." He told putting Usopp down. "I'm… I'm just not up for it right now." He told as he with hung head and slunken shoulders walked for the door, and was just about to exit it and get all the way out of the house, before a little voice sounded behind him.

"Mama."

Yasopp turned around and saw that Banchina had entered the room for the kitchen and now lifted Usopp up.

How much had she seen? And now she was looking at Yasopp with that look. That one specific look.

Some-how Yasopp wished dearly that she would look angry or disappointed, shout at him for being such a lousy father. But she didn't, all she did was looking very sad as she looked at Yasopp with those heavy eyes, before she without a word turned around and walked back into the kitchen with Usopp in her arms.

Yasopp sighed deeply as he turned back to the door and opened it and wandered out-side, out to one of his usual spots.. the bench, high up on the mountain, where he had free view to the ocean.

Some-times Yasopp could sit at that spot just looking at the ocean for an entire day, ones he had just been sitting there for both a day and a night in a row, before Banchina had come to fetch him back.

And ones again, Yasopp was in a mood where he just didn't feel like moving at all, how long he had been sitting there looking at the ocean.. Yasopp didn't know, he had absolutely no idea. He just knew that suddenly, it was sunset, and the sun was sinking behind the waves, painting both the sky and the ocean deep orange and purple.

And that was the moment a silent present came, Yasopp didn't even have to look to know who it was. Only one person ever came up here, himself, and only one other had any reason to come at that spot, his wife.

Silently the presence sat herself beside Yasopp, and Yasopp finally shifted his eyes so he could see Banchina sitting silently next to him, also looking to the ocean as the sun behind her silhouted her frame, her raven hair, her long nose, and the child sleeping deeply in her arms, probably exhausted from this days big adventures all-ready.

Yasopp sighed deeply as he leaned his chin in his hands and looked back to the ocean.. and for some time, they just sat like that in complete silence, that was until Banchina broke that silence, with one small sentence.

"You are unhappy." Banchina said, it was not a question, but a statement, not an angry one or a sharp one, but a rather sad and quiet one.

Yasopp blinked as he turned to his wife. "What?" he asked. "Wha.. what makes you say that!?" he asked. "Me unhappy, ha ha! Why would I be that!?" he asked. "I got you and Usopp, how could any-one ever want more!?" he asked, though it was very obvious that his big grin was fake, he tried, honestly tried, to force his words into becoming the truth, they just wouldn't.

"You _are_ unhappy." Banchina pointed out ones again turning her head towards Yasopp so their eyes met. "I just wish I could help you some-how." She told. "I'm your wife, I want to help, what can I do?" she asked lifting a hand to stroke Yasopp's cheek.

Yasopp sighed deeply, before he grabbed Banchinas hand, to hold it to his cheek, and nussle a little into it. "I honestly don't know." He told. "Banchina, you have done so much for me, you have done every-thing you could, it's not your fault." He told honestly holding her hand in his own. "You are the most perfect woman in the world, I am so lucky to have you, I know that I am, and I appreciate you, I even love you, please believe me. I just… I.." Yasopp tried hopelessly as he held Banchinas hand and hopelessly looked into her eyes for guidance. But ones again, Banchina just looked sad, and that was it, she looked just as hopeless and guideless as Yasopp felt.

Finally he just had no choice as he let go off Banchinas hand and covered his face with his hands as he hissed. "What do I do Banchina?" he asked. "God, it used to be so simple. Shoot down the marines, sail away and sing a song before the next raid. I am good at all of that, I ones single handily fought through an armada of cannibals with only ten bullets left. And yet when it comes to be the man my wife deserves, I just can't do it!" he told hopelessly looking at Banchina. "Please tell me what I can do." He begged his wife.

Banchina just looked at Yasopp, then reached forward a hand and gently rested it on Yasopp's, then leaned forward and rested her own forehead on Yasopp's, to just sit there in silence, letting a few single tears escape her eyes.

They were interrupted though by yells.

"What the!?" Yasopp blinked as he sat up.

Banchina squinted her eyes. "I think… I think it's from the village." She pointed out standing up.

So did Yasopp as he held a hand to his ear. "Sshh." He whispered, making Banchina touch Usopp tightly into her body as they both listened intensely at the voices.

"Pirates! PIRATES!" a man yelled.

Yasopp's eyes widened. "Pirates!?" he asked in a big exclaim at at ones started scouting the sea in front of him.

"Do you see any-thing!?" Banchina asked. "Is it any-one dangerous?" both of them knew that Yasopp's eye-sight was beyond good, in fact it was almost inhuman how far he could see without any help, even in semi darkness like this.

And then Yasopp's eyes widened. "I don't believe it." He barely whispered.

"What!?" Banchina asked.

"It's.. IT'S SHANKS!" Yasopp exclaimed as he lighted up in a big genuine grin looking at Banchina. "He's back at this Island, can you believe it!?" he asked. "AND THE REST OF THE GANG TO!" Yasopp exclaimed looking back at the ocean. "What on earth could they be doing here?" he asked in a big laugh placing his hands on his hips. "I thought they were heading for grand-line! I thought that.." Yasopp halted as he looked at Banchina, suddenly she looked twice as sad as before, she was even crying.

Yasopp blinked surprised. "Banchina what?" he asked.

"Sorry." Banchina sniffed whisking away a tear. "I'm being silly I'm.." she clutched Usopp close. "I better get back and put Usopp to bed, you take care now." She asked turning around.

"Wait Banchina what's?" Yasopp asked reaching for his wife, but she ran from him. Confused Yasopp stood back and looked after where his wife had run to, then his eyes returned to the ship by the ocean. "No." Yasopp hissed as he shook his head. "That's not my life any-more, I'm settled now." He stated. "I just.. need a bit of rest." Yasopp mumbled sitting back down on the bench, resting his chin in both his hands.

* * *

That bit of rest became.. quiet long, first as the sun was rising again, did a very groggy Yasopp find his way back to his house, opened the door and in a big yawn wandered in.

Only to suddenly stop and blink wide-eyed at what he saw in front of him. "Banchina.. what is this?" he asked as he right on the table in front of him, saw a big packed back-pack, a bento full of food and… Yasopp's old gun which he hadn't touched since he had married Banchina.

Banchina stepped out in the living room, Usopp stomping after her feet's, holding the tip of her skirt close in his hand. "It's your backpack, lunch and gun." Banchina told shortly looking at Yasopp.

Yasopp blinked. "I can see that." He admitted. "What I meant is, what are they doing on the table?" he asked.

"I made it ready for you." Banchina told picking up his back-pack as she reached it to him. "You need to hurry down to the ship before it leaves." She stated.

"What!?" Yasopp asked. "You.. you want me to leave?" he asked. "Why? Are you fed up with me?" he asked deeply confused.

Banchina closed her eyes as she shook her head. "No." she stated.

"Is it because I am a lousy father and a bad influence on Usopp?" Yasopp asked.

Ones again Banchina shook her head as a tear fell down her squinted eyes. "No." She stated ones again.

"Then what is it!?" Yasopp exclaimed. "Why all of this? Tell me Banchina."

"_It's the only way I am able to make you happy!" _Banchina exclaimed as she looked at Yasopp with tears in her eyes.

Astounded Yasopp's eyes widened as he stood back. "What.. what do you mean?" he asked as he tried to smile. "Banchina, that's just.."

"I'm not blind you know." Banchina told. "The man I've spend the last year with is not the man I married, and _not_ the man I fell in love with." She told. "The man I fell in love with would laugh and smile at every instance, there was a certain twinkle in his eyes. But then it went away, it vanished. Until yesterday evening." She told.

"Yesterday?" Yasopp asked confused.

"When you realised Shanks was here, suddenly the man I fell in love with came back, your smile was back." Banchina told. "Yasopp I'm sorry." She told looking down.

"For what?" Yasopp asked. "Banchina, you're not making any sense!"

"I'm sorry that I've been terrible selfish." Banchina told as tears rolled down her eyes as she clutched her backpack. "For some people, one little island is all-ready very big and scary, they are afraid of going any further, so as long as they are safe in a little comfortable life, they will be happy. People like me. Then there are people so much bigger than that, for them to be just one little island is the same as being in a small prison, they will feel trapped, helpless.. they are not meant to be on a prison island. Yasopp I was the one trapping you here, please forgive me!" Banchina begged looking up at Yasopp.

"No Banchina." Yasopp shook his head. "It was my choice to settle! I did it because I love you."

"But I am not enough for a man like you am I?" Banchina asked. "You need more than that, more than what I can offer." She told. "And the only reason why you are staying is because you feel responsible for me and Usopp." She told.

"No no I." Yasopp tried, but he all-ready knew it was a lost battle.

"YASOPP IF YOU DON'T LEAVE _I _WILL!" Banchina yelled.

Wide-eyed Yasopp starred at her.

"I'll leave." Banchina stated with tears streaming down her eyes. "And I'll take Usopp with me, to another island. You wont know where, then you wont have any reason at all to stay here, you'll _have _to leave." She stated.

For some time they just stood there, tears falling down Banchinas eyes, Yasopp in total shock, and Usopp in stunned silence behind Banchina, though he had no idea what was going on.

Then Yasopp stepped forward, grabbed Banchina and hugged her close as he cried. "I'm sorry!" he exclaimed. "I'm so sorry." He cried on as he held Banchina close, clutched her in his arms. "I didn't know, I thought it would all be good, because I really do love you, but I just couldn't make it work! I didn't know how."

Slowly Banchinas arms sneaked around Yasopp, and equally held him tight. "I love you to." Banchina whispered. "So very very much Yasopp, that's why I can't stand seeing you so unhappy, please go." She asked again.

"I'll come back." Yasopp stated. "I promise! I just need a little more adventure, that's all."

"Don't make promises you can't keep." Banchina asked. "It's all-right Yasopp I get it." She told resting her head in his chest. "And don't feel bad, I treasure every good day we had together, I actually always knew that I.." she blushed deeply. "Had fallen in love with the wrong man." she told as she bit her lip. "I just couldn't help it, so I stole you, that was very wicked of me." she stated in a even deeper blush bowing her head. "But it was worth it, you gave me the biggest treasure in the world." She told, letting a hand fall down to where she could lightly touch Usopp's hair, where he stood clutching to her leg, having no idea what was going on, only that it was some-how serious.

"God Banchina." Yasopp hiccupped as he held her close. "You are way to nice for your own good, you know that?" he asked standing back as he held her face in his hands. "You should be angry with me, disappointed with me, any-thing and you just." He shook his head. "I never deserved you." He told.

"That was for me to decide wasn't it?" Banchina asked. "And we did have a good run for a while." She pointed out.

Yasopp smiled lightly as he brushed Banchinas face with his thumb, then leaned over and kissed his wife deeply, tears running down both his owns and Banchinas eyes, before at last they parted and finally Banchina smiled at Yasopp. "Now go." She asked.

"You can come with me to the ship." Yasopp pointed out.

Banchina shook her head. "Better not, it'll just make it harder for both of us." She told.

Sadly Yasopp nodded as he took his backpack, then reached his gun.. and just by touching, suddenly he felt a thousand times more like his old self, the man he truly was.

Yasopp sighed as he gave Banchina a last glance.. and then he gave her one of his famous smiles and a thumbs up. "I'll come back for you, you can bet on it." He stated. "You're still my wife, so stay faithful." He instructed.

"Okay." Banchina nodded smiling back at him a little defeated.

Yasopp smiled as he reached forward a hand, gently grabbed Banchinas chin and kissed her again, the same way they would kiss back when they first met and were newly in love, before he let go, turned around and waved over his shoulder as he was on his wife. "See you later babe." He stated making Banchina giggle.

How-ever, as Yasopp was half way down the hill, a new voice stopped him.

"DADA! DADA!"

Wide-eyed Yasopp turned around and witnessed his tiny son coming running down the hill, in spite of the fact that he should barely be able to walk at this age! And truly enough, suddenly Usopp stumbled and fell over before he made the rest of the way to Yasopp in a series of Summersaults, and at last was stopped by Yasopp's leg, which he suddenly clutched as if he wouldn't let go. "Dada." He stated.

Yasopp sighed as he sat down on his knee. "Now look at you, all full of dirt and bruises." Yasopp commented as he tried to brush Usopp free of the dirt. "Not that that is any-thing new." He commented to himself rolling his eyes. "You are a little prober adventurer you are." Yasopp grinned ruffling up Usopp's black curls. "And some day, you are going to be a _big_ prober adventurer, just like dada." He grinned.

"Dada?" Usopp asked looking at Yasopp with big wide-eyed, and then clutched to his legs again squinting his eyes.

"Now now Usopp, don't be stubborn." Yasopp asked in a stern voice. "You can't come with me, the big ocean is just to dangerous for a little tyke like you." He told holding Usopp's shoulder. "Beside, with me gone, you'll be the man in the house." He told, suddenly new tears pressing on. "You'll have to take good care of your mom now, I don't think she even knows how to throw a fit." He commented more tears dripping down his cheeks. "So you'll have to be a strong man for her Usopp." He told.

Standing back and without understanding at all Usopp looked up at Yasopp. "Dada?" he asked.

"Listen, we'll see each other again, I promise! I'm your father and I love you." Yasopp told. "And if you still want to be a pirate and adventurer when you are really big, I'll take you with me! I can teach you how to use a gun! And set a prober sail, read the waves. I got so much to teach you Usopp! and I just know you'll be a natural at it all." He told as he swallowed. "So for now, you'll be a big boy now, and go back to be with your mother, don't let her be alone, that'll make her sad."

Usopp blinked up at Yasopp, still with very little understanding in his eyes, before at last Yasopp picked him up to give Usopp a big hug, holding him tight. "You're still such a tiny little tyke." Yasopp commented clutching Usopp in his arms. "But you're stronger than you look and smarter than you think." He told. "Just.. be safe Usopp!" he told. "Grow up and be strong all-right?" he asked. "And I'll love you, even though I am far away, no matter what you decide to do with your life. And I'll see you before you know it!" he stated kissing Usopp on the cheek then on the fore-head.

"Da.. da.." Usopp stated very silently, holding Yasopp's neck with his tiny arms, as if he knew that Yasopp needed to comfort right now, before at last Yasopp put down the little boy, faced him in the right direction back to the house, and at last gave him a little push.

"Now go back to your mother." Yasopp demanded. "She'll need you now." He told.

And Usopp brightened up in a big smile. "MAMA!" he exclaimed waltzing back up the hill in a very clumsy manner that barely qualified for a walk.

And Yasopp kept on watching him, until Usopp was over the hill and Yasopp was sure that Banchina could see him, and then turned around, took a deep breath, and walked down the path, down to meet up with his old crew, whom would hopefully accept him back, even if it was just meant to be temporary..

Temporary.. sure. It was never going to be temporary when you worked with true nakamas on big adventures.

* * *

'I'm Usopp, and I was lead to believe that you were... erh... are.. My father'

Yasopp kept a close eye on the young man in front of him as they found their way back to the ship.

Him being Usopp!? IMPOSSIBLE! He was way to big to be Usopp, way to tall, way to muscular, his Usopp wasn't old enough to have a beard! Even if it was just a tiny boys one.

Or be on the ocean, or be an accomplished Sniper. Absolutely _not _big enough to have a bounty on his head!

What was going on!? Who was this strange kid, what did he want with him? Was the biggest question that Yasopp kept asking in his mind.

"Dada.."

"Huh?" Yasopp looked straight ahead at the strange boy whom had mostly just mumbled the word.

"Oh Sorry!" The strange boy grinned waving his hand. "It was like I just remembered some-thing, but it seems so fluffy and weird." He told. "It was probably just a dream I had ones, that I called some-one _'dada'_." he shook his head. "How silly, would only be a baby whom would calls any-one '_dada.'_" He commented, before looking forward brushing apart a branch. "OH LOOK!" he exclaimed. "The ocean and.." he lifted his goggles to have a closer look to the left. "I see the mast of a ship! That has to be your ship Yasopp." He commented and easily jumped out of the bushes. "Now I can get my boat and get back to my own ship." He grinned.

Yasopp sighed deeply as he to emerged from the plants. "Yeah.." he mumbled. "Yeah I guess so."

* * *

_AN; Then they had a fight they both enjoyed, crying out their reuinon, arm wrestled, and Yasopp woke Usopp up very early the next morning so they could do target sniper practise X)_

_I like to think he litterately dragged Usopp out of bed. "Come on Son! Life is short, we are going to play with guns now!" "Dad you don't have to carry me, what am I? A sack of potatoes!? I'm not a kid!" "Nonsense, in my eyes, you are as small an adorable as when I last saw you!" "Daaaaaad!"_

_... why the hell didn't I write that scene into the fic? _


End file.
